The sunshine was streaming through the many windows as he made his way to the piano. When he sat down and set his fingers to the keys I stopped what I was doing and looked his way. He smiled at those of us there and asked if anyone had a favorite song.
My cousin translated and asked my aunt in Spanish for a favorite tune. She responded in her sometimes nonsensical way since early Alzheimer’s set in. We told the Piano Man she didn’t have a favorite and anything he played would be fine. He smiled again and started off with the classic “It’s Impossible.”
We had been the only ones in the sunroom until his music started. The song, expertly played, let the regulars know it was time. Slowly the room filled. Some were pushed in on their wheelchairs. Others walked in assisted by their walkers. They all came in with a purpose: to sit and enjoy what was a regular part of their routine at the facility.
My cousin pointed folks out to me as the beautiful music continued. There was the woman who hung her head low and never looked up. At first I thought she was sleeping but when she reached up to scratch her chin it became evident to me that she wasn’t. Did she no longer care what went on around her? Her aide sat beside her protectively, like a guardian angel.
Then my cousin pointed out the elderly man making his way to the front seat right next to the piano. He wasn’t the patient. His daughter whom he pushed in a wheelchair was. The irony tugged at my heart. My cousin explained that he would soon start singing along to all the tunes Piano Man was playing. Sure enough, in no time they both were.
When “New York, New York,” started we all sang along. There were at least seven of us there who considered ourselves New Yorkers, even though fate had led us south many years ago.
For over an hour he kept us enthralled with his music. When he started playing some classic Cuban ballads almost all of us joined in, my Dad surprising my cousin with his quite melodious voice. There were a few I had assumed were anglos who joyfully sang “Cielito Lindo,” and proved me wrong.
Even my teenagers, whom had asked how long we were going to stay, didn’t seem to mind that our planned hour had passed long ago. The camaraderie continued along with singing, sometimes off key, laughing, clapping and an occasional tear.
It occurred to me that the man playing the piano wasn’t paid. He did this because he enjoyed it. He actually lived in the facility. It wasn’t just an “old folk’s home.” There were some who were terminally ill in one wing. Others, like my aunt, were just there for rehab therapy after surgery. And others, like Piano Man, could take care of themselves but preferred to do it in a place like this and lived in their own little apartments upstairs.
I looked around and saw the many residents who were accompanied by their loved ones. It was heartwarming to see. A room full of strangers brought together for 90 minutes by someone who used his special gift to bring joy to people. We figured he must have been a professional in his day. He was that good.
As dinner trays started rolling by, guests started leaving. Piano Man wasn’t offended. He did this every day and expected it. We chatted with him for a bit and then went to say our goodbyes to my aunt in her room. As we were leaving the girls let me know that they were disappointed that I had never pushed them to learn the piano.
We have a saying in Spanish. “Nunca es tarde, cuando la dicha es buena.” It boils down to “it’s never too late.” I guess I better start looking for a music teacher.
Maggie Dokic, SFR is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Florida selling residential real estate in Miami, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Coral Gables, Gables by the Sea, High Pines, the Redland and other select areas of SW Miami-Dade County.
Maggie has earned her SFR certification to be able to better serve the needs of her customers in today's non-traditional real estate market. SFR is a Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Specialist. Designees have been trained to understand the highly specialized options available to Sellers facing short sales & foreclosures and Buyers looking to buy them.
For more information on our local real estate market, or to see or sell a home in Miami, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Coral Gables or the Redland, visit my Miami Real Estate blog or contact me at Maggie (at) TheBlogThatAteMiami (dot) com.
The opinions expressed herein, are those of the author, and not necessarily of Keller Williams Realty.
None of this information is to be deemed legal or financial advice. Please contact your attorney or accountant for same.
What a beautiful day off! This is a lovely story and the piano man brought joy to so many lives. It certainly is Not to late for piano lessons! They should think about lessons if it is something they would enjoy. It is never to late to learn music.
Joan - it was a lovely way to spend the time. Now I'm waiting to see if they bring up piano lessons again =) If they do, they can have them.
What a great story-music does make beautiful memories. Thanks for sharing.
That would be a millon day in my book and you sons life I am sure is changed (he may not know it ...yet) but it is
Your story brings back memories...I've had a Sunday just like this and it is precious.
What a beautiful way to take a day off. Thanks for sharing.
This is what work is all about. Like I always say, you work to live...you don't live to work. Sounds like a great day!
Maggie - A Sunday and a day off? Those two words don't ever happen in the same sentence to us up here in new jersey. Wish they did once in a while. Happy you got one though. :-)
What a lovely way to spend a day off. It's never too late to learn how to pay the piano.
Maggie-Sounds like a great family day! Who knows maybe your kids will discover musical talents as a result of your joy filled day! Best to you~
Maggie Darlin' - What a wonderful post. And, what a lovely reminder that..."It's never too late."
is there such a thing as a day off in the business? sigh..
Great story thank for sharing and you seem like a great MOM!
Maggie my friend, thank you for sharing this wonderful story! It is amazing how something so simple as a piano being played, and songs being sung, can make ALL of us feel good, even in a not-so-perfect environment. The piano-man was happy to please the patients and their loved ones. And folks like YOU, who apprecited the value of such a decent soul, made him happy as well.
Maggie,
You have a poetic gift of putting words together that they fascinate us. A very well written story, touching, sad, and uplifting at the same time, like it is usually in life, never in one color.
Very poetic.
By the way you last name Dokic sound as if it is from former Yugoslavia. And you are, obviously, not from there.
Pat - music is quite the glue, isn't it? I can't imagine a day without music in it somehow.
Eric - the day was memorable indeed. The kids are girls but just as impressionable =) and probably not as easy to raise LOL
Sarah - making precious memories and later enjoying them is what it's all about. =)
Margaret - it made for a bittersweet day. My folks live with me and we all went visiting together. I realize it may be just another decade before one of my parents needs full-time care.
Larry - amen! That's a great rule to live by.
Robert - absolutely. I've taken many, many Sundays off and my business is still booming. I need to write a post about that!
Rosalinda - what makes it even more poignant is that my Mom always said she wanted to learn to play as well and never did. I think I need to get the 3 of them going on some lessons!
Mary - thanks for the kind words. I wouldn't mind it if they did. Right now their time is filled with cheerleading practices and competitions. Playing the piano they can't break an arm. I would prefer it =)
Marlene - I need to take a lesson from that as well my friend. Perhaps I will =)
Greg - a big resounding YES! I have been taking Sundays off regularly for a while, thanks to my good friend Janie Coffey. We set our own hours, don't we? I choose to take that day off for my family. Will post about it soon.
Debra - I've got a long way to go to get to great, but I try. Thanks for the compliment and for reading!
Kat - that's exactly what it was. We're looking forward to our return visit. May even take some sheet music along!
Jon - thanks for your thoughtful words. You're right about the name. I am Cuban by birth. The Slavic name I got from my late husband. He was ethnic Albanian, from Montenegro, He passed away almost 12 years ago. Not a day goes by that we don't think of him and how his being in our lives affected us. We now have another advocate in heaven.
Maggie, what a beautiful post to share. Not sure I remember how old your daughters are, but I loved the Suzuki Method for my kids. It is ear training. A great way to start out. They can learn the technical parts later. The ear training stays with them for life. My one daugher can sit down and pick out anything as her ear was trained, she started at age 3 and went to age 16. Then stopped violin and piano. By that time I has 5 kids and was busy and others were just starting out.
Missy - my girls are now almost 15 & 18. I took piano many moons ago but never heard of the Suzuki method. I will make sure to look it up. Thanks!
That a wonderful story. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us, and remind everyone there's always something we can do to brighten the day. You brightened mine!
Maggie, a very moving story! Thank you for sharing it with us. I agree with you, it is never too late to learn...
Laura - thanks for your kind words. It's interesting how when we share it has a ripple effect and keeps on giving.
Lourdes - thank you. I need to take another day off soon and get more of the same into my life. Business has been very brisk lately.