"The Journey of the Little Piano Princess: The Italian Encounter" "鋼琴小公主的故事 ~ 我的鋼琴老師"意大利佬"

The little Princess was left to search for a new teacher and so, her father took her back to the piano workshop where he had bought the piano for his daughter and decided to consult one of the managers. 

The piano studio was a moderately large place fully packed with pianos of all sizes, shapes and finishes, instantly giving off a warm cosy feel with a hint of history lurking amongst the dusty cushioned stools and historic pianos. Amongst them were shiny brand new specimens, like elegant proud horses waiting for the rightful master to tame them and train them to their full potential, unleashing the power and the grace they had at every touch. 

As the little Princess walked amongst these dormant beasts towards the back of the shop, she saw the office where the managers and owners were and a door to the side which was slightly ajar, showing the path towards the workshops and piano restoration areas where she could see workmen moving bits of wood around. Having been distracted by what was happening outside that door, she immediately returned her attention to her father and one of the managers' conversation.

The manager was rather perplexed as to why we would request a new teacher after the father's enquiry and had asked who the teacher was. Without thinking, the little Princess had blurted out the name of the lady she had left and instantly realised what she had done; possibly caused some social political problem, what if the teacher were close friends or well known?...

Luckily, the manager hadn't taken it offensively and said: "Oh, she's a very good teacher". At this moment, it felt as if time had stood still but then instantly the ice cracked again as the manager, a young round faced man, leant over his desk in search of a contact card.

"Here's the number and name... He's said to be good, very musical, you can try him"

He scribbled down a number and name on a piece of paper and handed it over to me. I looked down on the yellow piece of paper... Mr. P.

*****

After ringing up to arrange a meeting and possibly a trial lesson, the little Princess, together with her red music case made her way to the doorstep of a terrace house in a new district of town that she's never been to.

A tall young broad and muscular man opened the door with a wide smile. He had thin black rimmed glasses and a ever so slightly hooked nose like an eagle. This was undoubtedly Mr. P who welcomed them in straight away, brushing is wavy black hair back.

Upon entering the building she notices how warm and natural it seems to be inside, decorated with beige and natural hues, woven furniture and the odd plant here and there, and then she saw it; a large black grand Yamaha piano by the bay window, silhouetted by the sunshine seeping through the slats in the venetian blinds.

What amused the little Princess was that a peculiar creature was also resident here and had come to explore what was going on. Mr. P instantly introduced the little Princess to the creature; a grey persian cat who went by the name Ludwig.

Just as you'd expect from a cat named after the great composer Beethoven himself, Ludwig the cat strutted past almost pompously with an expression you couldn't tell whether it was grumpy or if he had lost interest in the arrival of the newcomers already.

Having performed to Mr. P who had taken a liking to the little Princess almost immediately, lessons were arranged straight away. Indeed, as the manager had said, Mr. P was a very musical man and seemed to teach in a way that conveys that music is supposed to be enjoyed and thus, it should be played as musically as possible and as how you feel it.

As it turned out, this broad muscular young man was in fact an Italian with immaculate english; a Sicilian in his thirties whose appearance was non unlike a roman statue you typically imagine. Before leaving, his wife came downstairs to greet us. No different from her husband, she was extremely pleasing to the eye; a very young beautifully golden skinned lady with long brunette waves and a figure to die for. The couple was extremely friendly and as the little Princess left the house, returning to the car she gazed back towards the bay window where it had a sign engraved in coloured glass:

"Mr. P. Tuition in Piano and Music Theory"

"It's going to be interesting studying with this teacher..." she thought as she got in the car and her eyes still gazing at the window of the house two houses from the corner of the street; the house that lived her new Italian teacher, his beautiful wife and of course, Ludwig the peculiar cat.

This was definitely going to be an interesting adventure, what with the peculiar yet smooth meeting.