Do you have specific memories of moments of a stunned double take? The kind when your jaw drops, and you blink and pinch yourself and look again? You bet I have, and one of the most curious kinds happened not too long ago.
Quite a few of you might know by now that one of my favorite walking areas is the loop around Waughop Lake. It’s a safe place for one if you are walking alone. But it’s also a peaceful landscape that soothes the mind and inspires. I have plotted more than one of my novel scenes while walking my rounds. But that grayish October day certainly held something extra-special for me.
I had just finished my second loop around the lake and was on my way back to the parking lot by the historical barns. I let my eyes wander, and then it happened. All of the above. Jaw dropped, eyes blinked, pinch in the arm, one more look. It was still there: a piano in the middle of a meadow in the park.
Of course, I thought. A photographer must have used it as a photo prop, as the entrance area to Fort Steilacoom Park has become a much-used backdrop for all kinds of family photographies of late. The fall colors complemented the wood of the instrument beautifully. Imagine somebody leaning on the piano. Sitting at it and playing. But wait – the piano stool was missing. And who would go to the trouble and transport a piano into a meadow? And why was there nobody to guard it? There wasn’t a sign that said “For free” either. Basically, the entire scene looked as surreal as a Dali painting – only without any clock faces melting off branches or giraffes walking past with drawers in their chests.
Who had gone to the trouble and hoisted a piano onto a trailer or truck, and placed it into the park outside the concert season? Who had even made sure that the piano was placed on level ground? Why no piano stool? Questions. Questions. And then it hit me.
Somebody wanted to join the song of Nature with the instrument. Have you ever watched “The Great Gatsby”? The gorgeous version with a very young Mia Farrow and an incredibly handsome Robert Redford? Remember the fantastic music – the Charlestons, ragtimes, tangoes, waltzes? One of the melodies was “Kitten on the Keys” – here’s the soundtrack:
Maybe somebody wanted to share their love for music with … wildlife! Can you imagine how much fun a raccoon would have inspecting the inner life of a piano? It would make it sound like a harp, with its fur brushing against the strings. Woodpeckers would create percussion solos on the wooden corpus – come to think of it: Pianos are counted among percussion instruments anyhow, aren’t they? And then imagine squirrels chasing each other over the keys, creating scales or otherworldly chords. They might even pause for a while, a bit startled, and then find enormous fun in the game. So much better than plain chases through the park meadow. And they know how to put their little hands over their chests, too, which almost looks as if they were bowing like a real pianist after a concert. Little birds might perch on top of the piano singing solos, while an opossum might roll up around the pedals and change the dynamics. Ah, the sounds of Nature on a piano!
Many is the times I have returned to the park since then. The piano is long gone – who knows where?! I still hear its possibilities.
Editor’s Note: Care to read Boyle’s Double Take? Click here.
Joe Boyle, author of the Suburban Times’ column “Westside Story”, and Susanne Bacon, novelist and author of the Suburban Times’ column “Across the Fence”, are sharing their thoughts about a variety of topics in their joint project of double features called “Double Take”. Comments are more than welcome, as they know that the world has more than their two angles – the more the merrier.
Pat Hobbs says
Your story brings to mind two event, the first being the scene in another Robert Redford movie, Out of Africa, when he and Meryl Streep put the record player out In the middle of the jungle and then watched the chimps react to it. So fun to watch.
The second event happened when I was about 10 years old. My grandmother had a farm in upstate NY and during the summer, the grandkids would visit, including my brother and I. On one of these occasions, my aunt, who is only 4 years older than I, decided to put thumb tacks on all of the hammers on my grandmother’s piano. (It must have been a slow day). This took some time, but the sound it produced was very entertaining. My grandmother wasn’t too pleased when she heard us, so our experiment was short-lived…but lots of fun for the 2 of us!
I love the idea of a piano in the park. Perhaps it should have been left in a protected area so all the wildlife, both human and other, could have enjoyed it longer.
Loved your story, Suzanne!
Susanne Bacon says
Oh fun! And now you mention it – of course, “Out of Africa”!
Your wild piano experience as a child made me giggle. Thank you for sharing it!
Joan Campion says
Thank you for another tour, this time an imaginary concert by the wildlife. I can almost hear it now.
Susanne Bacon says
So can I! And don’t ask how I come up with such crazy ideas. I’m giggling right now.
Stephen says
Very different “takes” (yours and Joe’s) on the piano in the park pic! I spent half the day (I had time-off) listening to various piano music, music comedy (Victor Borge-inspired), flash mobs, and many types of professional and non-professional musicians. Then, adding your animal inspiration, I was struck by the uniqueness that humanity has in making music. I am reminded of one of my favorite verses in Psalms 33:3– “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.” As a singer/songwriter/guitar player, I am amazed at the skill with which people can play and create music, especially to glorify God. Even so, whatever we do, may we “do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31) Blessings, http://www.StephenNeufeld.com http://www.JejuChapel.com
Susanne Bacon says
What a wonderful angle YOU have got on the topic, Stephen! Thank you for sharing it! Indeed, we all have one gift or anther and should use it with grace and in gratefulness …