In preparation for my very first piano lesson, With-a-Why and Shaggy Hair Boy began teaching me a few things on the piano. With-a-Why started with the basics, “Okay, this is middle C," but pretty soon he was giving me directions that were already too difficult for me: "Okay, now try playing the C scale with both hands."
Over break, I did learn to play a few simple songs from on old piano book that With-a-Why used when he was about seven years old. None of the songs have more than three notes in them, which is just about what I can handle right now.
One evening Boy in Black walked over with his guitar and started accompanying me. It actually sounded pretty good. “See, we’re jamming,” he said with a grin.
Another time Shaggy Hair Boy sat next to me on the bench and started playing along with me. The simple notes sounded much better when he played along. He showed me some of the chords.
“Do you think I can learn to play the piano?” I asked him. It was a real question. After all, I’m 48 and I’ve never played a musical instrument. I’ve never even been able to carry a tune.
He gave me an exasperated look. “You
are learning to play the piano. Right now.”
Oh, right.
