"Pianofoorte"

A. E. Sturgis

Story of two men, the one who is satisfied to buy what he feels is important, the other who buys to show off his purchase. When Clyde buys a piano for his son, who enjoys practicing it, Lennie has to have one too, bought at a considerably lower price—for  his son, who is not at all happy about practicing it.

When his son is taking a break from practicing the piano, Lennie twists his arm behind him and marches him in to practice the piano. When Lennie’s wife takes their son to the doctor, the doctor realizes that Lennie’s monomania in having his son practice the piano all the time is destroying the boy’s confidence.

So Lennie buys a pianolo. “No practice, no strain, but music just the same.” Lennie is delighted with his purchase, and Clyde can only turn his eyes toward heaven.

About the Author: “Born in 1916, in Sydney, A. E. Sturgis is presently a university lecturer. He worked in industry for 15 years before starting a working tour of Australia with his wife; they did grape picking, grain harvesting, hospital domestic work and engineering drafting. More than 60 of his short stories, and some verse, have been published in periodicals and literary magazines. His work is included in anthologies in Australia, UK, USA and USSR.”

Rating: ** out of *****.

Short Story International #54. Ed. Sylvia Tankel. February 1986. Pp. 7-14.