….long live the thing(s).
In 1976, I bought a Hammond X5 portable (jobbing) organ. It was “portable” in that it could be folded up and carried to gigs-even though it weighed more than 100lbs). Paired with a Leslie 760 speaker (5′ x 3′ and >75lbs)….it was an honorable attempt at the B3 Hammond sound. It “jobbed” through innumerable weddings, graduations, Bar Mitzvahs, and fests….
And it followed me from Warren, Michigan…to Phoenix, Arizona…..to Reno, Nevada…to Elko, Nevada…to Hilo, Hawaii….where it finally had lost so much function that it could no longer be repaired and last year we offered it to our neighbor as a “learning” keyboard. He happily took it (mostly to get the Leslie speaker) and DH bought me a new Hammond SK2 (which weighs 35lbs) and speaker….the combination weighs less than 75lbs total.
In 1984 DH (in his first solo credit purchase ever) surprised me with a spinet piano for Christmas.
It, too followed me around the country, including to Reno, where, using that piano, our now-deceased son composed the song he dedicated to me…..and it finally ended up as a bookshelf/catchall shelf in our guest house here in Hawaii.
So, when DH decided to buy a stove to furnish the guest house…..room had to be made for it.
The piano had not been touched for the 10 years we’ve lived here, and Hawaiian humidity is um….not good….for string instruments. Henry, our snowbird who grew up here, called his childhood church and asked it they would like to have it as a donation. YES!…..and so it was packed off to them today.
I will confess to a tear shed at recalling all the memories that had been pounded into both those keyboards.
The thing(s) is gone. Long live the thing(s).
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