[ Ref. "How To Move a Piano" ]

Here is the story about my first experience with piano moving.
I learned a valuable lesson.

I was in high school, rehearsing for a musical show in the auditorium.
Eastwood High School in Syracuse, New York, about 1959.  We needed the
piano in the auditorium but the janitor hadn't moved it to from the
music room around the corner and down the hall.  Mrs. Maglione, the
music teacher, sent some trusted helpers (Beverly, Bonnie, Bruce and
me) out the back of the auditorium and around the corner to the music
room (room 112) to get it.

It was a big upright with those tiny wheels and we had a little trouble
rolling it on the wooden floor and over the threshold into the hall.
But the piano moved really well on the polished terrazzo tile in the
hall -- amazingly, you could move it with just a finger.  We had gone
several feet when we began to wonder how fast we could go on such a
smooth surface.  The hall was about the length of four of the 40-foot
classrooms (rooms 111 thru 114).  (You can see what's coming, can't
you???)

So we backed it up to the corner and took a run at it with the left end
of the piano leading.  I'd say we got it going about 4-5 miles an hour
-- somewhere between a fast walk and a flat out run.  Although it was
a long time ago, this memory is still surprisingly vivid in my mind.
Things were going very smoothly until we reached the door of room 113.
Then there was a loud squeal and the front left wheel locked.

(Please insert the appropriate photoplayer music here and close your
eyes.)

In an instant, the piano turned 90 degrees so that the flat back side
was now facing forward.  In case you don't realize it yet, this is not
a very stable condition.  There was a terrible (and I do mean terrible)
crash as the piano took a flip and landed flat on its back on that hard
terrazzo floor.  I can still see Beverly's foot as she pulled it back
from under the edge just an instant before the piano hit.  The 9-handed
arrangement of the "Lost Chord" reverberated around the halls for
several seconds.  Then silence.

Meanwhile, around the corner and through two doors and the stage
curtain, Mrs. Maglione was busy arranging the members of the musical
troupe in anticipation of the piano's arrival.  I understand that the
crash was heard rather clearly, even at that distance, and Mrs. Maglione
answered the call.  She threw open the curtains and ran through the
doors.  She made really good time in spite of herself.

I can still see her face as she came 'round the corner and drew into
sight.  It was clear to us all that this was a bad night.

Surprisingly, Mrs. Maglione was more interested in whether anyone (or
anyone's body part) was under the piano.  She asked what had happened
and let us get away with telling her that the wheel had locked and the
piano tipped over.  She never mentioned it again -- well, hardly ever.

The piano was tipped back up and rolled (slowly) into the auditorium
and the rehearsal continued.  I'm sure the show was a hit, although,
quite honestly, I can't even remember what the name of the show was.
But I'll never forget the feeling in the pit of my stomach when I saw
Beverly's foot clear the edge of the piano just before it hit!

It's really true that the things you do or say in haste (or without
much thought) are the things that cause you (and others) the most harm.
I try to remember this lesson -- and I'll try harder this new year.

Regards,

Craig Smith
near Rochester, New York, USA