The Piano Movers

Mandy was distraught. Her husband of forty-three years had died. She was struggling with being responsible for everything in her life.

She spent most days grieving, losing the love of her life.  Their marriage hadn’t always been great, but then, as he had worked through his post-traumatic stress disorder, it was as if the shackles holding him prisoner, after the war, had fallen away – one difficult piece, at a time, until that one day when he was finally free again to be the wonderful, amazing man he always wanted to be.

“Oh, John! I miss you so… your loving touch, your tender embrace, your ‘I can’t catch my breath hugs,’ our laughter; your funny jokes that weren't so funny, but we laughed anyway.” She sat there, as the clock ticked and the room became dark. She missed him so much.

“Bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong!”

“Oh! The piano movers were coming at six to move the old piano out. They will be here, any moment!” She didn’t play the piano. Only John’s fingers could tickle the ivory and create such beautiful music.

“Oh, John! Why did you have to go so early?”

“Ding! Dong!” The piano movers were at the door and introduced themselves. Joe and Shane came in and covered the piano in a quilted blanket.

Joe noticed her eyes begin to glisten. “Are you sure you want to get rid of this piano? Perhaps, it would be good to wait a month or so.”

“No,” Mandy said. “It’s time. I got rid of his clothes and books, so it’s time to get rid of the piano, too.”

Shane added, “You can always call and ask for it back, if you change your mind.”

“And if no one has bought it,” Joe added.

Joe and Shane rolled the beautiful piano up onto the truck.

Joe said, “Please call, if you change your mind.”

Mandy walked back inside and saw the empty wall. She collapsed in tears.

Five minutes later, she called the truck drivers. “Could you please bring it back? I’m not ready yet.”

Joe said, “Sure!”

They drove back into her driveway and set up the piano right where it had been… as if it had never been moved.

“What do I owe you?" Mandy asked.

Joe smile. “Nothing, Ma’am. There’s no charge.”

“Really?” Mandy replied, surprised.

Joe and Shane just smiled. “No charge! Enjoy your piano and your cherished memories.”

“Thank you,” Mandy whispered, with a tinge of a smile.

This was written during my Practice Writing Group, with a prompt of: piano movers, for 10+ minutes and edited slightly.

Although this is a piece of fiction, it was based on a true incident described in Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and  Renewal by Diane Dettmann, Outskirts Press, c. 2011.

Precious Linda, 2013