Piano Lessons with Mrs. Erickson

I took piano lessons from a lady up the street named Mrs. Erickson. She had a sing songy voice and she was patient and sweet. I didn’t really like her much. What I mean is I didn’t like piano lessons much. The thing that drove me crazy was that I was expected to play the music without the sheet music when they held the piano recital for all the students. I never understood why it had to be done this way and Mrs. Erickson never was willing to explain the reason to me.

My piano lessons were always on Wednesday evenings and they ended right when a new episode of Charlie’s Angels was on. My favorite part of Charlie’s Angels was the incredible opening theme song with the angels running around and those silhouettes. When my piano lesson was done, I would run home as fast as could to see the opening credits. This was before we had a VCR. Usually I’d make it home just as Tanya Roberts (this was the last season of Charlie’s Angels, 1980-1981) was riding on top of a car trying to hold on during the opening credits. She was always my least favorite angel.

I had spent a lot of time practicing for my first upcoming piano recital. When I say practicing, I mean going once a week for piano lessons and practicing there because I never practiced at home. I didn’t like going to piano lessons, so why should I bother practicing?

The piano recital was held at Mrs. Erickson’s home. My parents came to see me play. The piece I was playing was called “Fluffy The Puppy”. When it came time for me to play, I did ok for the first three notes and then I forgot the rest of the song and just kind of improvised. It sounded off key. I looked out at my parents and saw them sinking in their chairs. They avoided eye contact with me. I played through and finished the song in my own way. There was some slight applause.

I wasn’t embarrassed by my performance because I thought the rule about having no sheet music at the recital was stupid and I was going to show Mrs. Erickson that I thought so and show my parents that I didn’t want to have to go to piano lessons anymore.

After the recital was over, my parents pretended they didn’t know me and they walked home without me. I never had to go to piano lessons again.

Today’s song is Fake Empire by The National from their 2007 album Boxer. It’s a pretty good album. I picked this song because it’s one of my current favorites and it has a piano in it. Wow.

The National—Fake Empire
http://www.zshare.net/audio/43661884689b42/