tirsdag den 2. september 2014

Farvel til en gammel ven -- Goodbye to an old Friend

     I morgen tager Uglemor afsked med en kær, gammel ven. Det er hårdt, men det går ikke længere. . Det har hjulpet mig gennem mange af min ungdoms storme, intet kunne berolige oprevne nerver, som en times tid i selskab med denne ven.
     Jeg kan ikke huske hvor gammel, jeg var, da vi mødtes første gang, men nok omkring 10 år. Hvis du nu sidder og vrider hjernen og undrer dig over hvilket dyr der mon bliver omkring 40 år, er forklaringen dne enkle, at det ikke er noget dyr, det er mit gamle klaver.
     Da vi købte det, hjalp jeg min mor med at fjerne forgyldningerne og den hvide maling fra alt det smukke valnøddefiner. Jeg kastede mig ud i mit livs første tusskhandel, der involverede folk over den halve verden, for at få byttet de enorme stager, der sad på klaveret, til nogle små, elegante, der passede til det. Jeg lærte mig selv noder, og spillede på det hver dag. Når verden gik mig imod, hvad den jo gør ind i mellem, var en god omgang klaverspil, noget det kunne gengive mig et lysere syn på verden.
     Når vi havde været på ferie eller bare væk, var det den anden ting, jeg kastede mig over når jeg kom hjem - den første var et stort glas vand. Det lød underligt de første par dage, men så fandt vi melodien igen.
      Så flyttede jeg hjemmefra og boede i lejligheder, hvor der ikke var plads til et klaver, men da vi købte Ugleboet, blev der plads. Nu var det imidlertid tiden, det kneb med. Et hus fuldt af Ugleunger, levnede ikke Uglemor megen tid ved klaveret. Så for 7 år siden begyndte Trolden at spille og overtog klaveret. Uglemor frydes dagligt over hans fremskridt og vidunderlige toner. Men nu har han også slidt klaveret op,mange af tonerne er uhjælpeligt falske, andre siger slet ikke noget mere. Han er blevet så dygtig, at et nyt klaver er en nødvendighed. Derfor må jeg tage afsked med min gamle ven.
     I går blev det støvsuget og vasket, og jeg spillede alle de melodier - eller stumper af dem - som jeg kunne huske. I morgen kommer flyttemændene med det nye klaver, og tager min gamle ven med til de evige klavermarker.


 - - - - -

Tomorrow MotherOwl says goodbye to an old friend who has followed her from childhood. Nothing could quiet the storms of youth as a session with this friend.But time has come. If I have you racking your brain to find a long living pet, I'm sorry. MotherOwls old friend is a piano. When my family bought it, it was pained white and golden. I helped my mother remove all the paint from the beautiful walnut veneer. I even went into the first trade of my life, involving an American couple, to trade the far too big and massive candle holders for a pair of slim, elegant ones more suited to the piano. I taught myself to play the piano, and everyday would fnd me playing, enlarging my knowledge. When the world was not my friend, the piano was there fr me, and I always left it in better spirits. 
Then I left home, living in small apartments with no room for a piano. But when we entered the Owlery, the piano once again entered my life. I did not play much, many small Owlets had my hands busy elsewhere, but 7 years ago Trolli began playing, and ever since I have revelled in his progress. Now my old friend is worn out. Some of the keys are mute, others permanently  out of tune from wear.
Yesterday I cleaned and washed my old friend, and then, like Laura's father, I played all the songs, I could remember. Tomorrow two strong men will come and carry my old friend to the happy playing grounds, and a new, (not very pretty on the outside, but wonderful inside)  piano will take its place in the Owlery. I think it will take some time before it has taken a place in my heart as well.


3 kommentarer:

  1. Uglemor,

    What a beautiful piano. Oh I understand about losing such a friend! We used to have an old piano. It was very ornate like yours. Actually it looked like the piano in Renoir's painting 'Woman at the Piano'. We had the piano renovated: the inside was removed and worked on and then returned. But some of the keys kept sticking and it became frustrating for the girls to play on it, especially when they were preparing for their exams. Eventually we gave our old piano away and bought an electric one. This was better than what we had but not perfect. Now we have a beautiful upright piano that used to belong to the girls' piano teacher. His wife gave it to us after he died. It's a real treasure.

    I hope your new piano will soon find a place in your heart. The music that will be played on it will certainly be a delight to your ears.

    SvarSlet
  2. Sikke et pragteksemplar, og man må sige det har gjort det godt. Jeg håber du med tiden bliver så glad for det nye at du vil genoptage spilleriet efterhånden som ugleungerne drager ud i verden og giver dig mere tid til det!

    SvarSlet
  3. Thank you for all your kind words and consolation. I'll try to meet the new piano thinking: "A stranger is just a friend, you haven't met yet".

    SvarSlet

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