The Old Piano Roll...Blues?

Things are popping pretty fast around here. We finally got the screens that Hurricane Wilma blew out replaced this week, and we love it being able to open up without the bugs coming in. We got our friend Roberta married last week, and today it looks like we're going to get an honest-to-goodness, real PIANO! If we get to take it (It's free!) from Lauderhill, it will be the first real piano we've had since we left our old white clunker in Port St. Lucie in 1989 when we moved to Delray. I've used electronic keyboards to get my piano fix for many years, but there's nothing like a real instrument for touch and sound--and driving each other and the neighbors crazy.

We're just about ready to head out to see it, and I have a mover lined up to meet us there at noon. The lady who is giving it to us just wants to get rid of it before it gets damaged by renovators of her storm-damaged apartment, so unless something changes and she gives it to someone else before we get there, it's going to be our call. If we want it, we'll have the mover bring it right to the house, and if anything happens that we either don't want it or she changes her mind, I can call off the mover immediately without charges, since he's got another move earlier this morning in that same area.

It looks like it's going to happen. But you never know. Yesterday I chased two other ads down and missed one by only minutes to another buyer, and the second never called me back after his daughter in North Carolina said she wanted it. Pianos are chancey things to purchase, whether or not you go through a dealer or private party. There are the really old clunkers most people just want to trash, storm-destroyed or too poor a condition to refurbish, then the salvageable old uprights, spinets, studios and grands people just want to move out of their sight to gain the space (that's the kind I'm hoping we find in this one) and aren't trying to sell for much, then the ones people must think have been Liberace's personal favorite instrument. Prices range at dealers from about $500 plus moving to well over $50,000. This one was advertised for $10. We'll see what it looks and sounds like, but I can't imagine it could be so bad we wouldn't want it. She's offered to give it to us free, and the mover will charge me only $150 to get it in my house, so I think we're on track.

But you never know. Maybe she's got a son in Texas who wants her to keep it. Things like that happen. Oh well, that's show biz. More later....