The day my heart got broke.

Actually, my heart is breaking a lot these days with several of our good friends moving away, but yesterday... someone came and took my piano. I don't usually get attached to material things. I'm not emotional about stuff.

BUT... This was given to me by my brother, and he got it from the basement of an old church. The thing is amazing. Circa 1910. AB Chase (which I have learned is the unknown equivalent of Steinway in quality). I have spent a total of probably 15 hours or more hanging out with various piano technicians in my garage as they pour over it piece by piece, gushing at what an amazing instrument it is. The workmanship, the detail, etc. etc. I became very interested and somehow really attached to it.

Problem was--- it didn't play. It played, but each note could usually only be struck once before sticking. Cost to get it playable = ~1500.00. Plus another 4500 or so to get it completely restored (fixing up all the inside and the dents and dings and finish on the outside). Value of the instrument once all that's done = everything you put into it plus a couple of thousand. I debated and debated. Even while the guy was here yesterday to pick it up I hesitated. What I was asking for it was an insult to the piano and didn't even cover what I had already put into it. What finally put me over the edge and helped me let the guy take it were the words of one of the technicians (he said this before knowing that I was not a virtuoso myself). Essentially, he said that this instrument is too amazing to be finished just enough to get by. It deserves to be brought back to life. When finished, it will have the sound of a 7 foot grand. And that's amazing for an upright.

I'm not a musician. I like to mess around on the piano, and I really really want a piano in my house, but... I don't have the education, talent, or natural gifts to appreciate the piano like someone else would. Plus, it would be years before I would be able to put thettime and money into fixing it up completely, and during that time it would sit in my garage and get older and potentially sustain more damage.

So, shed a tear with me. I think I'll post the lyrics to a song by Bishop Allen which coincidentally, also makes me cry whenever I listen to it (even pre-pregnancy, this one got to me.) It's more powerful with the music, but lyrics give you an idea.

by the school

on the street

you were dropped off with a sign, "this piano is free"

you didn't look free to me

cast aside

obsolete

since they cancelled music class you've been a refugee

but now I'll give you a home

corazon

so I pushed and I heaved

but your weight bore down like I could not believe

had you accepted defeat?

till the crowd gathered round

put away their goings on

and hunkered down

and they were cheering you on

corazon

cheering you on corazon

and the expert

with his tools

said to bring it up to pitch would snap the sucker in two

I guess we're tuning to you

so I pulled up a seat

and I swear I felt a pulse beneath your keys

to urge your hammers along

corazon

hammer along corazon hammer

I was caught I was stuck

and my thoughts

kept on deepening the rut

until your first chord struck

now I search

I'm a chore

but my god you've given me another chance to learn

come on and teach me your songs corazon