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Picture

The Piano Player
by the Story Teller

November 2, 2016, The Piano Player

I think she was 5 on the day she turned up missing. Not to worry, this is not about a sad event. We lived in a neighborhood. Houses, trees, families with dogs, kids playing outside until dark, and what you did got to your mom before you got home. It was a neighborhood where you could ride your bike around the block on the side walk or in the street. While you might not know the names of everybody on the block, you could pretty well give a description of who lived where.

Around the corner at the far end of the block lived a Catholic family with 5 kids. I knew they were Catholic because the kids didn’t go to my school. Chicago had (and I suspect still do) public schools and Catholic schools. In my neighborhood it was either one or the other. If the kids down the block didn’t go to my school (Clissold) that meant they were Catholic and went to Saint Cajetan’s – end of conversation. I share this because this was one of those houses where you know who they are, but that was about it.

On this day my little sister decided to walk around the block, which of and by itself was not that unusual. The unusual part was she didn’t make it all the way around in a realistic time. So I hopped on my bike and did the block in record time. No little sister is to be found. Now mom and dad begin the search by going around the block and stopping at each house.

When they get to the house around the corner there is little sister inside, sitting at their piano playing. As the story unfolds, it seems that just as she was passing the neighbor's house, a car with a family pulled up at the curb. The mom, dad, and their 5 kids got out and were greeted by our neighbors. The sidewalk count now was 4 adults and 10 children + 1. As they all went into the house, little sister decided that it looked like it might be fun, and in she went. No one questioned who the little girl playing the piano was because - “If she is not one of ours, she must be one of theirs”. It sort of sounds like a TV sit com with a happy ending.

I share the story because it highlights a truth simply stated - It was a different time with different rules. We all walked the three blocks to school. School lunch was from 12:00 – 1:00. A few kids brown bagged it and ate in a classroom. Some bought lunch at Fisher's School Store across from the school. Most of us went home for lunch. I always ran both ways so I could get back to the playground and shoot marbles with my friends. My grandparents lived a block from the school and the Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, and the Baptist's churches were all less than two blocks from my house.

I could share more but the idea I hope you get is that growing up as a part of that neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago was more than just a place to live and go to school. It was about living in relationship to the world around me, and to be honest, there are times when I really miss that.

Moral – Having a relationship to the world around us happens, even if we don’t notice it at the time.        



  



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  • 2021 Stories
    • October 25, 2021, Joe
    • October 18, 2021, Reality
    • October 11, 2021, Dumb
    • October 4, 2021, Teachers
    • September 27, 2021, Book
    • September 20, 2021, Joy
    • September 13, 2021, Dreams
    • September 6, 2021, Clouds
    • August 30, 2021, Soil
    • August 23, 2021, Doing
    • August 16, 2021, Get It
    • August 9, 2021, Frogs
    • August 2, 2021, Photos
    • July 26, 2021, Password
    • July 19, 2021, Possibilities
    • July 12, 2021, Shopping
    • July 5, 2021, Sweat
    • June 28, 2021, Stakes
    • June 21, 2021, Tatoo
    • June 14, 2021, Dove
    • June 7, 2021, Nudges
    • May 31, 2021, Summer
    • May 24, 2021, Lunch
    • May 17, 2021, Legs
    • May 10, 2021, Skills
    • May 3, 2021, Change
    • April 26, 2021, Wish
    • April 19, 2021, Dog
    • April 12, 2021, Handle
    • April 5, 2021, Thinking
    • March 29, 2021, Alternative
    • March 22, 2021, Doors
    • March 15, 2021, Depends
    • March 8, 2021, Planning
    • March 1, 2021, Bird
    • Feb. 22, 2021, Believe
    • Feb. 15, 2021, Traditions
    • Feb. 8, 2021, Shopping
    • Feb. 1, 2021, NailFile
    • Jan. 25, 2021, Acorn
    • Jan. 18, 2021, Family
    • Jan. 11, 2021, Tuition
    • Jan. 4, 2021, Wisdom
  • 2020 Stories
    • Dec. 28 2020, Stamps
    • Dec. 21 2020, Babysitting
    • Dec. 14, 2020, True
    • Dec. 7, 2020, Music
    • Nov. 30, 2020, Pluggers
    • Nov. 23, 2020, Cherry
    • Nov. 16, 2020, Magic
    • Nov. 9, 2020, Seasons
    • Nov. 2, 2020, Food
    • Oct. 26, 2020, Nickel
    • Oct. 19, 2020, Bloom
    • Oct. 12, 2020, Surprise
    • Oct.5, 2020, Valley
    • Sept. 28, 2020, Perfect
    • Sept. 21, 2020, Kissing
    • Sept. 14, 2020, Q-tip
    • Sept. 8, 2020, Fish
    • Aug 31, 2020, Chores
    • Aug 24, 2020, Dust
    • Aug 17, 2020, Trees
    • Aug 10, 2020, Yearbook
    • Aug 3, 2020, Wood
    • July 27, 2020, Phones
    • July 20, 2020, Dinosaurs
    • July 13, 2020, Salt
    • July 6, 2020, Desire
    • June 29, 2020, Puzzle
    • June 22, 2020, Chocolate
    • June 15, 2020, Never
    • June 8, 2020, Gift
    • June 1, 2020, Ideas
    • May 25, 2020, Sleepless
    • May 18, 2020, Clueless
    • May 11, 2020, Everything
    • May 4, 2020, T-shirt
    • April 27, 2020, Better
    • April 20, 2020, Extension
    • April 13, 2020, Flags
    • April 6, 2020, Stairs
    • Mar. 30, 2020, Spring
    • Mar. 23, 2020, Cowboy
    • Mar. 16, 2020, Moving
    • Mar. 9, 2020, Serious
    • Mar. 2, 2020, Rim
    • Feb. 24, 2020, Starting
    • Feb. 17, 2020, Lisa
    • Feb. 10, 2020, Ideas
    • Feb. 3, 2020, Cats
    • Jan. 27, 2020, Fire
    • Jan. 20, 2020, Waiting
    • Jan. 13, 2020, Stuff
    • Jan. 6, 2020, Music
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      • Dec. 23, 2019, Pencil
      • Dec. 16, 2019, Laundry
      • Dec. 9, 2019, Train
      • Dec. 2, 2019, Wood
      • Nov 25, 2019, Yearbook
      • Nov. 18, 2019, Lemonade
      • Nov. 11, 2019, Sunrise
      • Nov. 4, 2019, Bread
      • Oct. 28, 2019, Fool
      • Oct. 21, 2019, Real
      • Oct. 14, 2019, Improving
      • Oct. 7, 2019, Purse
      • Sept. 30, 2019, Attic
      • Sept. 23, 2019, Heaven
      • Sept. 16, 2019, Done
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      • July 22, 2019, Battery
      • July 15, 2019, Appointment
      • July 8, 2019, Decide
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      • Feb. 11, 2019, Choir
      • Feb. 4, 2019, Sweet Tea
      • Jan. 28, 2019, Waiting
      • Jan. 21, 2019, Golf Shoes
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      • Jan. 7, 2019, Twenty six Years
    • 2018 >
      • Dec. 31, 2018, Happy New Year
      • Dec. 24 , 2018, Christmas
      • Dec. 17 , 2018, Line
      • Dec. 10 , 2018, Geek
      • Dec. 3 , 2018, Rocks
      • Nov 26 , 2018, 80
      • Nov 19 , 2018, NPR
      • Nov 12 , 2018, Beards
      • Nov 5 , 2018, Coffee
      • Oct. 29, 2018, Paper Towels
      • Oct. 22, 2018, Camp
      • Oct. 15, 2018, Evolution
      • Oct. 8, 2018, Hummmm
      • Oct. 1, 2018, Fence
      • Sept. 24, 2018, Fence
      • Sept. 17, 2018, Birthday
      • Sept. 10 , 2018, Chicken
      • Sept. 3 , 2018, Invisible
      • Aug 27 , 2018, Third Place
      • Aug 20 , 2018, Name Tags
      • Aug 13 , 2018, Distance
      • Aug 6 , 2018, Allergies
      • July 30, 2018, Unexpected Words
      • July 23, 2018, 440
      • July 16, 2018, Dreams
      • July 9, 2018, Advice
      • July 2, 2018, Hands
      • June 25, 2018, Learning Curve
      • June 18, 2018, YMCA
      • June 11, 2018, Trash
      • June 4, 2018, Booth
      • May 28, 2018, Baby Lawyer
      • May 21, 2018, Big Date
      • May 14, 2018, Monopoly
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      • April 30, 2018, Mickey Mouse Club
      • April 23, 2018, Favorites
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      • April 2, 2018, Surprised
      • March 26, 2018, Choices
      • March 19, 2018, Problems
      • March 12, 2018, Murphy's Law
      • March 5, 2018, Skunks
      • Feb. 26, 2018, Wind Chill
      • Feb. 19, 2018, Crackers
      • Feb. 12, 2018, Fear
      • Feb. 5, 2018, Winter
      • Jan. 29, 2018, Work
      • Jan. 22, 2018, Highway 24
      • Jan. 15, 2018, Chair
      • Jan. 8, 2018, Grace
      • Jan. 1, 2018, House
    • 2017 >
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      • Dec. 18, 2017, Envelopes
      • Dec. 11, 2017, Wisdom
      • Dec. 4, 2017, Coffee
      • Nov. 27, 2017, Value
      • Nov. 20, 2017, Camp
      • Nov. 13, 2017, Legos
      • Nov. 6, 2017, Amazon
      • Oct. 30, 2017, Adult
      • Oct. 23, 2017, Footsteps
      • Oct. 16, 2017, Cross
      • Oct. 9, 2017, Pain
      • Oct. 2, 2017, Daisy
      • Sept. 25, 2017, Yellow Light
      • Sept. 18, 2017, Soccer
      • Sept. 11, 2017, The Tool Kit
      • Sept. 4, 2017, Red's
      • Aug 28, 2017, Nails
      • Aug 21, 2017, Tornado
      • Aug 14, 2017, Stars
      • Aug 7, 2017, Dog Feathers
      • July 31, 2017, Clocks
      • July 24, 2017, Tooth Paste
      • July 17, 2017, Honey
      • July 10, 2017, Bookmarks
      • July 3, 2017, Tools
      • June 26, 2017, One Handed
      • June 19, 2017, Curve Ball
      • June 12, 2017, Puzzles
      • June 5, 2017, Guest
      • May 29, 2017, The Umbrella
      • May 22, 2017, World Record
      • May 15, 2017, Firefly
      • May 1, 2017, Green Eyes
      • April 24, 2017, Gel Pens
      • April 17, 2017, Six
      • April 10, 2017, Missed Call
      • April 3, 2017 Hoses
      • March 27, 2017, Hope
      • Mar 20, 2017, Smiles
      • Mar 13, 2017, Onion
      • Mar 6, 2017, Creative Problem Solving
      • Feb 27, 2017, The Shopping Cart
      • Feb 20, 2017, The Tree
      • Feb 13, 2017, My Mistake
      • Feb 6, 2017, The Compliment
      • Jan 30, 2017, Friday
      • Jan 23, 2017, Wrestling Rattlesnakes
      • Jan 17, 2017, Dog Wisdom
      • Jan 10, 2017, Shock Theater
      • Jan 3, 2017, The Butterfly and the Bee
    • 2016 >
      • Sept 13, 2016, Mrs. Summers Won't Like That
      • Sept 20, 2016, A Teacher's Tale
      • Oct 4, 2016, Top 60%
      • Oct 11, 2016, Life in a Small Town
      • Oct 26, 2016, I Don't Play Golf
      • Nov 2, 2016, The Piano Player
      • Nov 28, 2016, Whataburger Jesus
      • Dec 5, 2016, Maraschino Cherries
      • Dec 12, 2016, The Box
      • Dec 19, 2016, Moving to Texas
      • Dec 26, 2016, Invisble People
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