A piano in Jay and Bridget's living room

I have always wanted to play the piano, but I have never done so - I know that I have no musical gifts whatsoever - I sing out of tune - I have to mouth the words of carols at Christmas -

My daughter Tessa, however, has a natural, innate, talent for music - when she played her keyboard, she would improvise beautiful soulful pieces - when she had her electric bass guitar, she could play rock like a tough devochka - 

Len, my second in command at the school, was the conductor for Wareham Town Band - he played the trombone, a shiny powerful instrument - leading  the town band was a tricky business - often musicians wouldn't turn up, so a wide repertoire was called for - any combination of musicians might present themselves before his baton -

Every Christmas, when Father Christmas came to Wareham, Len would lead the band down the High Street - we would sip scalding soup out of a polystyrene cup - the brave notes of the band would fly about in the air like saucy birds -

This piano is to be found in a living room in Jay and Bridget's house - I like looking at it - I can imagine it being played in a louche club -

Jay plays keyboards in a band - the band is called King Toadfish and the Rough Riders - I want very much to hear this band play - they go down a storm in north London pubs, even those where barrel chested bravos are hungry for a fight -

Jay sometimes wears a hat when he plays - I think of how musicians, in all cultures, take us beyond ourselves - they are like magicians -

So, when I'm sitting in Jay and Bridget's living room, I look at the piano - I can see, swirling above it, like conjured shapes, all of its songs and music -