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45
PIANO
(after William Saroyan)
William Saroyan
1908–1981
W. Saroyan was born in 1908 in Fresno, California, to a poor
family of Armenian immigrants. He started as a postman, and neither
he, nor his parents could have ever imagined that there will be a day,
when this name will be mentioned among the American writers such as
Hemingway, Steinbeck, Faulkner, and Caldwell. William Saroyan
wrote more than 1,500 short stories, 12 plays, and 10 novels. One of
his best works, the novel «The Human Comedy,» is partially autobio-
graphical.Saroyan visited Armenia four times, in 1935, 1960, 1976 and
1978, and even saw his play «My Heart’s in the Highlands» in Yerevan
theatre after G. Sundukyan staged by Vardan Adjemyan. The writer
was deeply moved by the play, the music for which was written by Arno
Babadjanyan.
“Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I’m from
America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are in
English, the surroundings I write about are American, but the soul,
which makes me write, is Armenian. This means I am an Armenian
writer and deeply love the honor of being a part of the family of Arme-
nian wrtiters,» said Saroyan of himself, and there are no better words
to describe him, but his own.
When Saroyan died in 1981 he was buried in Fresno – his native
town; but according to his will, a part of his heart was buried in far-
away Armenia, at the feet of Ararat, not far from lake Van and town of
Bitlis – the homeland of his parents. Now a part of Willam Saroyan’s
heart rests in peace among other notable Armenians in the Pantheon of
Greats in Yerevan.
"I get excited every time I see a piano," Ben said.
"Is that so?" Emma said. "Why?"
"I don't know," Ben said. "Do you mind if we go into this store
and try the little one in the corner?"
46
"Can you play?" Emma said.
"If you call what I do playing," Ben said.
"What do you do?"
"You'll see," Ben said.
They went into the store, to the small piano in the corner. Emma
noticed him smiling and wondered if she'd ever known anything about
him. She'd go along for a while thinking she knew him and then all of a
sudden she'd know she didn't. He stood over the piano, looking down at
it. What she imagined was that he had probably heard good piano play-
ing and loved that kind of music, and every time he saw a keyboard
and the shape of a piano he remembered the music and imagined he
had something to do with it.
"Can you play?" she said.
Ben looked around. The clerks seemed to be busy.
"I can't play," Ben said.
She saw his hands go quietly to the white and black keys, like a
real pianist's, and it seemed very unusual because of what she felt when
that happened. She felt that he was someone who would be a long time
finding out about himself, and someone somebody else would be much
longer finding out about. He should be somebody who could play a
piano.
Ben made a few quiet chords. Nobody came over to try to sell
him anything, so, still standing, he began to do what he'd told her was-
n't playing.
Well, all she knew was that it was wonderful.
He played half a minute only. Then he looked at her and said, "It
sounds good,"
"I think" it's wonderful," Emma said.
"I don't mean what I did," Ben said. "I mean the piano. I mean
the piano itself. It has a fine tone, especially for a little piano."
A middle-aged clerk came over and said, "How do you do?"
"Hello." Ben said. "This is a swell one."
"It's a very popular instrument," the clerk said. "Especially fine
for apartments. We sell a good many of them."
"How much is it?" Ben said.
"Two hundred forty-nine fifty," the clerk said. "You can have
terms, of course."
PIANO "Can you play?" Emma said.
(after William Saroyan) "If you call what I do playing," Ben said.
"What do you do?"
William Saroyan "You'll see," Ben said.
1908–1981 They went into the store, to the small piano in the corner. Emma
noticed him smiling and wondered if she'd ever known anything about
W. Saroyan was born in 1908 in Fresno, California, to a poor him. She'd go along for a while thinking she knew him and then all of a
family of Armenian immigrants. He started as a postman, and neither sudden she'd know she didn't. He stood over the piano, looking down at
he, nor his parents could have ever imagined that there will be a day, it. What she imagined was that he had probably heard good piano play-
when this name will be mentioned among the American writers such as ing and loved that kind of music, and every time he saw a keyboard
Hemingway, Steinbeck, Faulkner, and Caldwell. William Saroyan and the shape of a piano he remembered the music and imagined he
wrote more than 1,500 short stories, 12 plays, and 10 novels. One of had something to do with it.
his best works, the novel «The Human Comedy,» is partially autobio- "Can you play?" she said.
graphical.Saroyan visited Armenia four times, in 1935, 1960, 1976 and Ben looked around. The clerks seemed to be busy.
1978, and even saw his play «My Heart’s in the Highlands» in Yerevan "I can't play," Ben said.
theatre after G. Sundukyan staged by Vardan Adjemyan. The writer She saw his hands go quietly to the white and black keys, like a
was deeply moved by the play, the music for which was written by Arno real pianist's, and it seemed very unusual because of what she felt when
Babadjanyan. that happened. She felt that he was someone who would be a long time
“Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I’m from finding out about himself, and someone somebody else would be much
America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are in longer finding out about. He should be somebody who could play a
English, the surroundings I write about are American, but the soul, piano.
which makes me write, is Armenian. This means I am an Armenian Ben made a few quiet chords. Nobody came over to try to sell
writer and deeply love the honor of being a part of the family of Arme- him anything, so, still standing, he began to do what he'd told her was-
nian wrtiters,» said Saroyan of himself, and there are no better words n't playing.
to describe him, but his own. Well, all she knew was that it was wonderful.
When Saroyan died in 1981 he was buried in Fresno – his native He played half a minute only. Then he looked at her and said, "It
town; but according to his will, a part of his heart was buried in far- sounds good,"
away Armenia, at the feet of Ararat, not far from lake Van and town of "I think" it's wonderful," Emma said.
Bitlis – the homeland of his parents. Now a part of Willam Saroyan’s "I don't mean what I did," Ben said. "I mean the piano. I mean
heart rests in peace among other notable Armenians in the Pantheon of the piano itself. It has a fine tone, especially for a little piano."
Greats in Yerevan. A middle-aged clerk came over and said, "How do you do?"
"Hello." Ben said. "This is a swell one."
"It's a very popular instrument," the clerk said. "Especially fine
"I get excited every time I see a piano," Ben said. for apartments. We sell a good many of them."
"Is that so?" Emma said. "Why?" "How much is it?" Ben said.
"I don't know," Ben said. "Do you mind if we go into this store "Two hundred forty-nine fifty," the clerk said. "You can have
and try the little one in the corner?" terms, of course."
45 46
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