红木钢琴（3）（2/2）
《美丽英文》作者：方雪梅 2017-04-14 12:47
to the radio. She said she had started to play in church where she and her grandmother had to walk over two miles, and that she had then played in school, had won many awards and a music scholarship. She had married an attorney in Memphis and he had bought her a grand piano.
Something else entered my mind. “Look, Elise,” I asked, “May I ask you what kind of wood is your first piano made of, the one your grandmother bought you？”
“It’s red mahogany,” she said, “Why？”
I couldn’t speak.
Did she understand the significance3 of the red mahogany？ The unbelievable audacity of her grandmother insisting on a red mahogany piano when no one in his right mind would have sold her a piano of any kind？ I think not.
And then did the old lady understand the marvelous accomplishment of that beautiful, terribly underprivileged child in the feed sack dress？ No, I’m sure she didn’t understand that either.
But I did, and my throat tightened.
Finally, I found my voice. “I just wondered,” I said. “I’m proud of you, but I have to go to my room. ”
And I did have to go to my room, because men don’t like to be seen crying in public.
Something else entered my mind. “Look, Elise,” I asked, “May I ask you what kind of wood is your first piano made of, the one your grandmother bought you？”
“It’s red mahogany,” she said, “Why？”
I couldn’t speak.
Did she understand the significance3 of the red mahogany？ The unbelievable audacity of her grandmother insisting on a red mahogany piano when no one in his right mind would have sold her a piano of any kind？ I think not.
And then did the old lady understand the marvelous accomplishment of that beautiful, terribly underprivileged child in the feed sack dress？ No, I’m sure she didn’t understand that either.
But I did, and my throat tightened.
Finally, I found my voice. “I just wondered,” I said. “I’m proud of you, but I have to go to my room. ”
And I did have to go to my room, because men don’t like to be seen crying in public.