The Pied Piper Returns

Yesterday I was at Dad's for a few hours in the afternoon. As I was doing a little 'tidying up' around his place, I noticed he was heading over to the piano, the one his mother gave him when he was around 12.

He didn't say a word. He just started playing!


We had been after him to play a few of his 'favourite' pieces for the past couple of months....but to no avail. He kept saying that his fingers wouldn't do what he wanted them to do.

He started with a 'right-hand' warm-up to get the fingers going.


It took me back to when I was a kid in Halifax in that big house in the north end. It would be a Sunday, as that was usually the only day Dad had off, and after the noon-time dinner.

Dad would go into the living room, get into his 'zone' and start to play the piano. He was like the Pied Piper, as soon as we heard the music we followed that sound, as if by instinct we had no choice! 


Since there were nine kids somewhere all through the house and a grandmother and uncle who lived upstairs, it wouldn't take long for all of us to crowd around Dad at the piano.

A few of us would dance around, depending of course on our age, we wouldn't want to make a fool of ourselves. My grandmother would make it down from upstairs and sit in a comfy chair and begin to sing completely 'out of tune' to the delight of us kids......

But this was a recurring scene that took place regularly in our house and it was so good to see and hear Dad play all the old favs yesterday. Took me right back to a very warm and fun time. Only difference, I had it all to myself! Where were the other dozen?!


And there was Dad 'in the zone' again.......and he's a mere 95 years old!