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！