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第11章 红木钢琴 1（第1页）

第11章红木钢琴（1）

TheRedMahoganyPiano

乔伊·爱德华JoeEd>

Manyyearsago，whenIwasayoungmaniies，IworkedasasalesmanforaSt。Louispianopany。

Wesoldourpianosalloverthestatebyadvertisinginsmalltoersandthen，whenwehadreceivedsuffitreplies，wewouldloadourlittletrucks，driveintotheareaahepianostothoselied。

&imeweadvertisediontryofSoutheastMissouri，wewouldreceiveareplyonapostcardwhichsaid，i，“Pleasebringmeanewpianoformylittlegramustberedmahogany。Ipay$10amonthwithmyeggmoheoldladysandonandonthatposttilshefilleditup，theoveraeo—aroundandarouiltherewasbarelyroomfortheaddress。

Ofcourse，weotsellanewpianofor$10amonth。Nofinanpanywouldcarryatractwithpaymentsthatsmall，soweigcards。

Oneday，however，Ihappeareaotherreplies，andoutofcuriosityIdecidedtolooktheoldladyup。Ifouymuchected：Theoldladylivedinaoneroomshare-croppersthemiddleofafield。

Thehadadirtfloorandthereweresinthehouse。Obviously，theoldladyothavequalifiedtopurythi—noophone，norealjob，nothingbutaroofoverherheadandnoodo。Icouldseedaylightthroughitinseveralplaces。Herlittlegranddaughterwasabout10，barefootandwearingafeed-sackdress。

Iexplaiheoldladythatweotsellanewpianofor$10amonthandthatsheshouldsttouseverytimeshesawourad。Idroveawayheartsick，butmyadvioeffect—shestillsentusthesamepostcardeverysixantinganewpianany，please，andswearingshewouldnevermissa$10payment。It>

Acoupleofyearslater，Iownedmyoany，andwheisedihepostcardsstartede。Formonths，IigelsecouldIdo？

Butthen，onedaywhenIwasihinge。Ihadaredmahoganypianoonmylittletruck。DespiteknowingthatIwasabouttomakeaterriblebusinessde，IdeliveredthepiaoldherIwouldcarrytheyselfat$10amonthwithhatayments。ItookthenewpianointhehouseawhereIthoughttheroofwouldbeleastlikelytorainonit。Iadmohelittlegirltotrytokeepthesoffit，a—sureIhadjustthropiano。

Butthepayments，all52ofthemasagreed—sometimeswithstapedtoa3×5intheewasincredible！

So，Iputtheiofmymindfor20years。

ThenonedayIhisonotherbusiness，andafterdiheHolidayInnointothelounge。AsIwassittingatthebarhavinganafter-dinnerdrihemostbeautifulpianomusidme。Ilookedaround，andtherewasalovelyyounglayingaverynidpiano。

Beingapianistofsomeabilitymyself，Iwasstuuosity，andIpickedupmydrinkaablebesideherwhereIcouldlistenandwatch。Shesmiledatme，askedforrequests，aookabreakshesatdownatmytable。

&hemanwhosoldmygrandmaapianoalongtimeago？”

Itdidn’tringabell，soIaskedhertoexplain。

&edtotellme，andIsuddenlyremembered。MyLord，itwasher！Itwasthelittlebarefootgirlinthefeedsackdress！