88 keys by a zebra

[slowfox]

In just about any given situation, you can usually rely on me to sequester myself into the metaphorical corner of the room, trying to avoid intruding on any person(s) present. It's a pretty much universal rule that I've lived by for just about as long as I can remember.

UNLESS you've got a piano...

So, Mali and I were out for walk three yesterday evening, ambling down Chants when we espied a couple manhandling a piano down the road, just outside Barclays Bank, by the zebra crossing.

This brought back similar memories from waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back when I was at Uni in York, and was helping German!Tom transport a piano from his rented house to another muso's place (actually, said muso was supposed to be me, but a passer by happened to profess interest in the instrument as we were wheeling it past their front door, uphill, and given that we still had over a mile to lug this thing if it were to make it all the way to The House^*, we unanimously agreed that the less distance we had to shift the beast, the better).

So, naturally, I stopped to enquire how things were going of the couple. The girly explained that one of the castors had broken on the pavement, so things had ground to a halt (quite literally, indeed) whilst they summoned reinforcements. The guy (older than her, younger than me) was mostly silent.

Anyway, I started asking whether she played etc, and flipped up the lid of the piano to throw a few chord shapes around as we talked music and instruments and scales and stuff. All the time, remember, with Mali's lead in my left hand, right by the road.

Shameless, I know, but it was a piano, I couldn't ignore it!

After a while, Mali raised up on his hindlegs to place his paws on the keys, attempting some kind of polyrhythmic counterpoint to my EbMaj7 riff; 'twas best characterised, perhaps, as avant garde.

So at that point we bid our farewells and padded off up Westbourne, leaving girly and her beau standing by their stranded piano. It wasn't there this morning, so I'm assuming onward progress was eventually resumed.

* The House - proper noun, referring to a three storey Victorian terrace in York that I shared with fellow students for three years (2nd year, 3rd year, year after graduation). We referred to ourselves, collectively, as 'The House', as well - so it was a multi-purpose designator. Oh, we had cats, too - Djinn and Duffy. The House was something special

Comments

[linaelyn]

This entry had me laughing loud enough* to wake the kiddoes! The mental image of you... and then Mali chiming in on the keys!

I was half-expecting this story to end with you taking the piano back you your place.

*certainly laughing enough to have difficulty typing correctly!

[slowfox]

I was half-expecting this story to end with you taking the piano back you your place.

I'd be lying if I said that this thought had never crossed my mind... *innocent look*

Also, your ETA reminded me that I meant to put in a defintion of The House, so that's now been added to the post.

[linaelyn]

I remember well at least one previous post about The House, specifically in reference to Djinn and Duffy.

So, what's stopping you from adding a piano to Castle Fox at this point? Or am I misinformed and you already have some such thing?

[slowfox]

So, what's stopping you from adding a piano to Castle Fox at this point?

I live in a terraced house with rather thin walls, and doubt that the neighbours would be too chuffed with me tinkling the ivories at all hours. Well, not really all hours, but post dog-walking hours, which would put it past 8pm.

Also, I really don't have the time to practice, so it would be a waste, methinks. Doesn't stop me missing a piano, but it doesn't mean, either, that it'd be remotely sensible to acquire one just at this present moment in time.

[carolanne5]

If you change you mind you're welcome to borrow my piano. It's sitting at my parents unloved (Mum uses her Clavinova).

[slowfox]

Aw, thanks for the offer, but transportation of a piano from Sussex to Hull might be disproportionate to the utility potentially realised!

Clavinovas absolutely rule, and were I to decide to pick up the whole practice thing again, I'd go for a Clavinova. They have the touch, y'see...

[linaelyn]

Ah, I see you are aware of the joys of a Clavinova, so I don't need to make that argument. I don't play myself, but I've been assured by several of my RL friends that a digital piano of the Clavinova's caliber is truly a joy to play... and you can wear a headset to avoid annoying the neighbors, after hours.

But I can't bend the fabric of spacetime to give you the extra hours in your life to practice. Wish I could though.

[slowfox]

Ah, I see you are aware of the joys of a Clavinova

Very, very much so... there are other things higher up the Priority List, but yes, Clavinovas are much with the awesome, and do want.

[aome]

Love the image of Mali trying to play, too!

Also, The House sounds like a positive period in your life. :) Do you still keep in touch with any of them?

[slowfox]

The House sounds like a positive period in your life. :) Do you still keep in touch with any of them?

Well, ex was part of the House, so I'm still in touch with her, obviously, given that I'm up at the Farm on a weekly basis :-)

As for the others, we're loosely in touch.. Christmas cards and stuff, and I have lunch with one of their number's better halves every now and again, as we work in the same building.

[sophie8]

Told you that dog had talent! I had a very good giggle at the mental image of Mali at the piano. He used to do the same thing with the computer keyboard sometimes.

[slowfox]

Told you that dog had talent!

He certainly does! :D