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47
"Where do they make them?" Ben said.
"I'm not sure," the clerk said. "In Philadelphia, I think. I can find
out."
"Don't bother," Ben said. "Do you play?"
"No. I don't." the clerk said.
He noticed Ben wanting to try it out some more.
"Go ahead," he said. "Try it some more."
"I don't play," Ben said.
"I heard you," the clerk said.
"That's not playing," Ben said. "I can't read a note."
"Sounded good to me," the clerk said.
"Me, too," Emma said. "How much is the first payment?"
"Oh," the clerk said. "Forty or fifty dollars. Go ahead," he said,
"I'd like to hear you play some more."
"If this was the right kind of room," Ben said, "I could sit down
at the piano for hours."
"Play some more," the clerk said. "Nobody'll mind."
The clerk pushed up the bench and Ben sat down and began to
do what he said wasn't playing. He fooled around fifteen or twenty sec-
onds and then found something like a melody and stayed with it two
minutes. Before he was through, the music became quiet and sorrowful
and Ben himself became more and more pleased with the piano. While
he was letting the melody grow, he talked to the clerk about the piano.
Then he stopped playing and stood up.
"Thanks," he said. "Wish I could buy it."
"Don't mention it," the clerk said.
Ben and Emma walked out of the store. In the street Emma said,
"I didn't know about that, Ben."
"About what?" Ben said.
"About you."
"What about me?"
"Being that way," Emma said.
"This is my lunch hour," Ben said. "In the evening I like to think
of having a piano."
They went into a little restaurant and sat at the counter and or-
dered sandwiches and coffee.
"Where did you learn to play?" Emma said.
48
"I've never learned," Ben said. "Any place 1 find a piano, I try it
out. I've been doing that ever since I was a kid. Not having money does
that."
He looked at her and smiled. He smiled the way he did when he
stood over the piano looking down at the keyboard. Emma felt flat-
tered.
"Never having money," Ben said, "keeps a man away from lots
of things he figures he ought to have by rights."
"I guess it does," Emma said.
"In a way," Ben said, "it's a good thing, and then again it's not so
good. In fact, it's terrible."
He looked at her again, the same way, and she smiled back at
him the way he was smiling at her.
She understood.. It was like the piano. He could stay near it for
hours.
They left the restaurant and walked two blocks to the Emporium
where she worked.
"Well, so long," he said.
"So long, Ben," Emma said.
He went on down the street and she went on into the store.
Somehow or other she knew he'd get a piano some day, and everything
else, too.
Exercises
1. Imagine that you are Emma. Speak about Ben and his love
for music. Tell us how you got to know each other. Speak about
your future plans.
2. Discussion.
Answer the following questions and discuss the answers.
1. What do you think of Ben, his childhood and the society in
which he grew up? What do you think Ben did for a living? Was Ben
really talented? What makes you think so? What qualities must a good
musician possess?
2. Do you think Ben will ever buy a piano? Will Emma and Ben
marry? Will they understand each other and be happy?
"Where do they make them?" Ben said. "I've never learned," Ben said. "Any place 1 find a piano, I try it
"I'm not sure," the clerk said. "In Philadelphia, I think. I can find out. I've been doing that ever since I was a kid. Not having money does
out." that."
"Don't bother," Ben said. "Do you play?" He looked at her and smiled. He smiled the way he did when he
"No. I don't." the clerk said. stood over the piano looking down at the keyboard. Emma felt flat-
He noticed Ben wanting to try it out some more. tered.
"Go ahead," he said. "Try it some more." "Never having money," Ben said, "keeps a man away from lots
"I don't play," Ben said. of things he figures he ought to have by rights."
"I heard you," the clerk said. "I guess it does," Emma said.
"That's not playing," Ben said. "I can't read a note." "In a way," Ben said, "it's a good thing, and then again it's not so
"Sounded good to me," the clerk said. good. In fact, it's terrible."
"Me, too," Emma said. "How much is the first payment?" He looked at her again, the same way, and she smiled back at
"Oh," the clerk said. "Forty or fifty dollars. Go ahead," he said, him the way he was smiling at her.
"I'd like to hear you play some more." She understood.. It was like the piano. He could stay near it for
"If this was the right kind of room," Ben said, "I could sit down hours.
at the piano for hours." They left the restaurant and walked two blocks to the Emporium
"Play some more," the clerk said. "Nobody'll mind." where she worked.
The clerk pushed up the bench and Ben sat down and began to "Well, so long," he said.
do what he said wasn't playing. He fooled around fifteen or twenty sec- "So long, Ben," Emma said.
onds and then found something like a melody and stayed with it two He went on down the street and she went on into the store.
minutes. Before he was through, the music became quiet and sorrowful Somehow or other she knew he'd get a piano some day, and everything
and Ben himself became more and more pleased with the piano. While else, too.
he was letting the melody grow, he talked to the clerk about the piano.
Then he stopped playing and stood up. Exercises
"Thanks," he said. "Wish I could buy it."
"Don't mention it," the clerk said. 1. Imagine that you are Emma. Speak about Ben and his love
Ben and Emma walked out of the store. In the street Emma said, for music. Tell us how you got to know each other. Speak about
"I didn't know about that, Ben." your future plans.
"About what?" Ben said.
"About you." 2. Discussion.
"What about me?" Answer the following questions and discuss the answers.
"Being that way," Emma said. 1. What do you think of Ben, his childhood and the society in
"This is my lunch hour," Ben said. "In the evening I like to think which he grew up? What do you think Ben did for a living? Was Ben
of having a piano." really talented? What makes you think so? What qualities must a good
They went into a little restaurant and sat at the counter and or- musician possess?
dered sandwiches and coffee. 2. Do you think Ben will ever buy a piano? Will Emma and Ben
"Where did you learn to play?" Emma said. marry? Will they understand each other and be happy?
47 48
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