Bring Your Own

Our piano has temperament.  Every third week a key drops flat for no apparent reason, sometimes without being touched.  As the number of flat keys build the level of difficulty to practice increases for my three prodigy pianists.

Mr. Stanford, our paino expert, travels from Bellefountaine to repair and occassionally tune the instrument.  In January of this year was one such occassion.  He arrived cheerfully and set to dismantling the patient needing attention.  Kathryn and Ethan hung over his shoulders asking questions during the process.  As he worked and removed the broken plastic elbows that had crumbled to pieces he asked for a paper towel to catch the mess.

Ethan popped up from his side and ran to fetch a towel.  On his return he whispered in Mr. Stanford's ear, "Next time bring your own."

I had no knowledge of this exchange. 

So this March when seven more keys fell flat as well as the sound of our dear old friend we called on Mr. Stanford.  He again arrived cheerfully but this time he called for Ethan as he started his task.  He drew out of his tackle-tool kit a paper towel which he promptly handed to Ethan saying, "This is to pay you back for the one I used the last time I was here, and I brought my own for today's mess!"  With a smile he set to his work of repairing and then tuning with Ethan and Kathryn watching his every move.