Tribute

Personification was always a problem for me when I was a child. I believed every inanimate object that I cared about had a soul. I have this problem even now. This is why I’ve been dealing with some intense feelings of guilt every since last Saturday, when Mike and a bunch of friends hauled our old piano over to the neighbor’s house to live. I couldn’t even stay home to watch.

I feel like I’ve participated in the worst kind of behavior…betrayal!  I’ve betrayed our old girl. (yes, I’ve divined that this particular piano is a female soul)

The guilty feelings started in earnest several months ago when we stuck her against the far wall, down in the lonely basement so we could make room for a newer, shinier, younger model. I thought to myself, as she disappeared down the metal ramp to the basement, “Jill, how would you feel if you had spent your whole life diligently serving a family, only to be shoved down into the basement when someone sexier and younger came along?”

I think this is a fair question. How would you feel?

To ease my guilt, I’ve decided to post a tribute to our old, well used, lovely and faithful beauty. She may have sounded horrible in comparison to her new rival from Japan, but she always gave us all she had to give. She truly does have a lovely soul!

……

Miss Wurlitzer Spinet first came into our family in 1974; a gift to my mother from her loving father upon the arrival of baby #1, which happened to be me. From day one, Miss Wurlitzer and I have been connected. We are the same age, arriving into the family simultaneously.

I grew up listening to her being played beautifully by mom, as we fell asleep after being tucked into bed at night. I’ve sang countless songs with her tinny notes accompanying me. She was a part of every holiday from Eric’s renditions of Peter Cottontail to Mitch’s and Mom’s Sleigh Ride duets. She knows the Sunday hymns backward and forward. She has listened to triumph and tears as myself and my three brothers have learned to play her. She’s listened to some pretty decent fights through this learning process,as well. She’s endured some harsh pounding over the years, and she’s always forgiven us for taking our frustrations out on her. She’s got some battle scars to prove her faithfulness…scratches, chips, watermarks, sharpie marker doodles, toys in her innards, and even a broken leg.

Miss Wurlitzer is no stranger to replacement. After 30 years of faithful service at the Stauffer household, she was eventually relegated to the Dickey household after Janice received her newer, younger and shinier model.

After she arrived at our house almost 10 years ago, I remember thinking that even though she was living in a new, unfamiliar place, at least she and I had been reunited after so many years of separation. I took comfort in know that she was happy that we were back in the same house at last.

Nevertheless…she had to be very patient living in our house. She had two crazy, and incredibly bald headed twin boys climbing on her constantly (their hands and noses were never the cleanest), and oh, the noise they created with her!

But…she did like feeling useful again as Miss MK used her everyday to hone her new piano playing skills. Miss Wurlitzer even enjoyed re-living all the old Schaum, Bastian and John Thompson tunes she remember so well from her early years at the Stauffer house, Riding on a Mule being a particular favorite of hers.

Miss Wurlitzer Spinet served MK so faithfully in fact, that we were mostly blind to her many faults. Until, teacher #3
(a picky piano performance major) kept hinting to us that maybe, just maybe, our old lady wasn’t instrument enough to handle MK’s burgeoning talent. Teacher #3 even suggested that maybe Miss Wurlitzer (although faithful and loving) may even be detrimental, due to her complete inability to hold her tune and because of her extra short strings and much too loose keys. She was just not suited for building hand strength and good technique.

I didn’t even have the heart to glance back at Miss Wurlitzer as I headed out the door for our first day of piano shopping. Even though I didn’t want to admit it, I knew in my heart-of-hearts that her days at our house were numbered.

Our newer model was finally carried in and assembled by the burly piano movers. I would be lying if I said that there wasn’t some serious excitement surrounding the event. We were all completely dazzled by the sound and the shiny. Besides that twinge of guilt as I watched Miss Wurlitzer descend into the lower level of our house; I admit I was much too enamored with our new Miss Kawai Baby Grand to give much thought or heed to our old, faithful friend…mostly neglected now except for the occasional pounding from one of the neighbor kids in the basement.

I’m sad to report that the competition proved too much for Miss Wurlitzer. Her tinny, small sound from the basement kept interfering with Miss Kawai’s perfection and something had to be done. Since we couldn’t keep her here, I feel we did the next best thing. We found her a loving home. She has been temporarily adopted by the Well’s family down the street. (Janice just couldn’t bare to give her away completely because of the sentimental value and so Miss Wurlitzer still officially belongs to us).

I’m happy to report that the Well’s family has taken Miss Wurlitzer warmly into their hearts. Mama Well’s even sent me this picture after she spent two hours cleaning and polishing…

…doesn’t she look lovely? She hasn’t looked this good in years!

I’m sure it feels good not to be taken for granted. Miss Wurlitzer is enjoying Schaum and Bastian and John Thompson all over again as the Well’s daughter learns to play. I’m hoping Miss W. is enjoying feeling useful and appreciated and loved by her new family.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself to assuage my raging guilt.