The Bakers bought me for $7000 as a birthday present to Belle, their daughter. I’ve watched her go from a giggling brown-haired six year old chaotically banging the keys to a beautiful and outstanding award-winning pianist. While Belle’s dad never played music, her mom played violin growing up and wanted Belle to establish a musical foundation.
Speaking of Belle, here she comes now!
I can think of nothing more enjoyable than Belle practicing. If I was capable of smiling, I would excitedly beam from my lowest to highest keys whenever she plays. Ever since Belle left for college I’ve grown quite lonely; I long for the breaks when she comes home and we get to spend time together.
Belle places a few sheets of music on my stand, lifts the cover over my keys, and removes the protective red cloth. She smiles in anticipation. She sits on the bench, adjusts it so her feet are in the perfect position to use the pedals, and places her hands on my keys.
I am a proud Yamaha baby grand. While I may not be as majestic as a Steinway or resonate like a Borgato, I am content with the crisp and pure sound I produce. I’m not perfect, but I certainly feel perfect for Belle.
Belle takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and begins playing. Debussy’s Clair De Lune, one of my favorites!
As Belle has grown and matured, so have I. When they first bought me, my sound was raw and harsh. I played loudly, but not in particularly a good way. After years of playing, my sound has become much more refined and smooth. So too did Belle’s abilities. It’s amazing to compare our clunky Twinkle Twinkle Little Star over a decade ago to the Chopin sonatas we play today.
Belle finishes a few of her favorite pieces from memory to warm up, and just as she is about to move into practicing for her concert next month her five-year old sister Clara pokes her shoulder and asks to sit on the bench. Belle picks her up and places her on her lap.
Clara is so cute. Her hair is slightly lighter than Belle’s and her face is slightly wider but she shares the same carefree laugh that fills the room. She recently had her second piano lesson, and sometimes when she plays I feel like I’m listening to a young Belle.
Music is my life. I cherish the memories I’ve made with Belle and look forward to my time with Clara.
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[about the BLL project]
Since I don’t start Accenture until September, I’ve got some free time on my hands. One of the ways I’ve decided to use this period is to exercise my creative writing with a mini-series focusing on everyday objects around us. My goal is to imagine what the things around us, such as our smartphones, would say if they could speak. Through these short stories, I’ll offer my commentary on how these objects affect our lives.
Past BLLs: