Back in High School, this piano sat in the lunchroom, and I would play on it every day when I came to eat lunch.
Until they stopped me that is. It was beat to hell back then.
I scratched my name

And the date

on the back of the soundboard.
Someone from the highschool newspaper took this photo of me playing it, otherwise this photo wouldn't exist

My friends who had the piano back home decided they no longer wanted it, and put it up for sale on Facebook Marketplace, where I would NEVER have seen it, because I NEVER go there.
A friend from high school put me on to it, and everyone said:

Jerry, for this piano to come back into your life at this time, it is meant to be that you get this piano!

So yesterday, I paid WAY too much to buy it and have it delivered from Claxton to my Studio here in Mableton, but it is mine now

In an odd coincidence?, last Friday one of my long time most favorite music clients sent me a brief email:

Jerry, we need an Entertainer for this afternoon at 3 pm, if you can do it please call and ask for Gina

I replied that I hated to disappoint, but I had a Dr's appointment and there was no way I'd be able to get back in time (not to mention that I'm NOT practiced anything, I've had no REASON nor Motivation for it.
So yesterday, she reached out again and said it was alright, what about THIS FRIDAY?
I told her of my most recent performance where I was required to get a negative nose swab a week before, and provide WRITTEN PROOF, then wear a mask WHILE I performed, which was not good.
She replied:

So I replied

Yes Ma'am!

Del Mar Gardens is a retirement community with apartment living on one side, and skilled care on the other.

↑This was my last performance there last Oct. No one came out to see me perform. It was very disheartening.

I am looking forward to it, but I am also filled with trepidation, due to the reasons I cited above, mainly lack of practice, but now I have the motivation!

"Music Returns"

^by
Jerry E Smith
©06/22/2021
All images are mine