TheRedMahoganyPiano
喬伊·愛德華/JoeEdwards
Manyyearsago,whenIwasayoungmaninmytwenties,IworkedasasalesmanforaSt.Louispianocompany.
Wesoldourpianosalloverthestatebyadvertisinginsmalltownnewspapersandthen,whenwehadreceivedsufficientreplies,wewouldloadourlittletrucks,driveintotheareaandsellthepianostothosewhohadreplied.
EverytimeweadvertisedinthecottoncountryofSoutheastMissouri,wewouldreceiveareplyonapostcardwhichsaid,ineffect,「Pleasebringmeanewpianoformylittlegranddaughter.Itmustberedmahogany.Icanpay$10amonthwithmyeggmoney.」Theoldladyscrawledonandonandonthatpostcarduntilshefilleditup,thenturneditoverandevenwroteonthefront—aroundandaroundtheedgesuntiltherewasbarelyroomfortheaddress.
Ofcourse,wecouldnotsellanewpianofor$10amonth.Nofinancecompanywouldcarryacontractwithpaymentsthatsmall,soweignoredherpostcards.
Oneday,however,Ihappenedtobeinthatareacallingonotherreplies,andoutofcuriosityIdecidedtolooktheoldladyup.IfoundprettymuchwhatIhadexpected:Theoldladylivedinaoneroomshare-cropperscabininthemiddleofacottonfield.
Thecabinhadadirtfloorandtherewerechickensinthehouse.Obviously,theoldladycouldnothavequalifiedtopurchaseanythingoncredit—nocar,nophone,norealjob,nothingbutaroofoverherheadandnotaverygoodoneatthat.Icouldseedaylightthroughitinseveralplaces.Herlittlegranddaughterwasabout10,barefootandwearingafeed-sackdress.
Iexplainedtotheoldladythatwecouldnotsellanewpianofor$10amonthandthatsheshouldstopwritingtouseverytimeshesawourad.Idroveawayheartsick,butmyadvicehadnoeffect—shestillsentusthesamepostcardeverysixweeks.Alwayswantinganewpiano,redmahogany,please,andswearingshewouldnevermissa$10payment.Itwassad.
Acoupleofyearslater,Iownedmyownpianocompany,andwhenIadvertisedinthatarea,thepostcardsstartedcomingtome.Formonths,Iignoredthem—whatelsecouldIdo?
Butthen,onedaywhenIwasintheareasomethingcameoverme.Ihadaredmahoganypianoonmylittletruck.DespiteknowingthatIwasabouttomakeaterriblebusinessdecision,IdeliveredthepianotoherandtoldherIwouldcarrythecontractmyselfat$10amonthwithnointerest,andthatwouldmean52payments.ItookthenewpianointhehouseandplaceditwhereIthoughttheroofwouldbeleastlikelytorainonit.Iadmonishedherandthelittlegirltotrytokeepthechickensoffit,andIleft—sureIhadjustthrownawayanewpiano.
Butthepaymentscamein,all52ofthemasagreed—sometimeswithcoinstapedtoa3×5inchcardintheenvelope.Itwasincredible!
So,Iputtheincidentoutofmymindfor20years.
ThenonedayIwasinMemphisonotherbusiness,andafterdinnerattheHolidayInnontheLevee,Iwentintothelounge.AsIwassittingatthebarhavinganafter-dinnerdrink,Iheardthemostbeautifulpianomusicbehindme.Ilookedaround,andtherewasalovelyyoungwomanplayingaverynicegrandpiano.
Beingapianistofsomeabilitymyself,Iwasstunnedbyhervirtuosity,andIpickedupmydrinkandmovedtoatablebesideherwhereIcouldlistenandwatch.Shesmiledatme,askedforrequests,andwhenshetookabreakshesatdownatmytable.
「Aren』tyouthemanwhosoldmygrandmaapianoalongtimeago?」
Itdidn』tringabell,soIaskedhertoexplain.
Shestartedtotellme,andIsuddenlyremembered.MyLord,itwasher!Itwasthelittlebarefootgirlinthefeedsackdress!