Hi All,  The following stories are true,  the names have been
changed to protect the innocent!

  A Strange Mechanical Device

Many years ago, on my way home from school I decided to cut through the
old factory yard.  For years people had illegally dumped their garbage
there.  One day I found a strange mechanical device just laying there.

I picked up the device and examined it closely.  The unit had a crank,
a large wide rubber band with nubs on it and a row of thin metal rods.
When the unit was cranked the large rubber band would move and the nubs
would pluck the thin metal rods.  While I was cranking the unit I
discovered it would play music and if it was held against a piece of
wood it would play louder.

I then figured out it was the insides of a "Jack in the Box " because
it played " Pop goes the Weasel ".  One of the rubber nubs would hit a
tracking arm that just pivoted.  I reasoned it was once hooked up to a
latch that held the "Jack in the Box " closed.  One day the device
vanished from my home and it was years before my Mom confessed the tune
was driving her crazy.  Years later I got her back with my guitar and a
rendition of " Shoo Fly ".

  Tommy Seven

My first experience with a player piano was on a local kids show
called Tommy Seven.  The show was a favorite of my friend,  who
I walked to school with.  David told me to watch the show so I did!
The theme song was done to "East Side West Side":

     East side,  West Side all around the town!
     The kids watch Tommy Seven!
     He's their favorite TV clown!

Towards the end of the show Tommy would sit down at a player piano and
pump out an old tune and sing along .  He would always make believe he
was playing the piano.  At the end of the song the camera would move in
so you could see the roll come to its end and then slap around.  (Very
exciting stuff back then!)

More to come!

Happy Holidays!

John Conrad Kleinbauer
Kleinbauer@JUNO.com