My friend is out of town for about 4 weeks.
 

She lives with her elderly mother, so, when she has to go out of town for work-related things, which occurs frequently through-out the year, I stop by to visit her mother 2 or 3 times a week, on some of the days days that I know her son can't visit (he lives out of town).

Played piano for her today, because she enjoys that. I usually play a variety of music, which I also play later in the week at a nursing home that I volunteer at.

I choose a variety of styles of music, including hymns, classical, show tunes, some stuff from the 60's and 70's with easy-listening kinds of melodies. The most frequent comment I receive at the nursing home is that they enjoy the variety.

Today, one of the songs that I played for Viola was "Piano Man" by Billy Joel. She enjoyed the melody, so I read her some of the words (those in red).

Its nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sitting next to me
Makin' love to his tonic and gin

He says, son, can you play me a memory?
Imp not really sure how it goes
But its sad and its sweet and I knew it complete
When I wore a younger mans clothes

La la la, de de da
La la, de de da da da

Chorus:
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, were all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright

Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there's someplace that heed rather be
He says, Bill, I believe this is killing me.
As the smile ran away from his face
Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place

Oh, la la la, de de da
La la, de de da da da

Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he's talkin' with Davy whose still in the navy
And probably will be for life

And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But its better than drinkin' alone

Chorus

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'cause he knows that its me they've been comin' to see
To forget about life for a while
And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, man, what are you doin' here?

Oh, la la la, de de da
La la, de de da da da

Chorus

She asked to see my book, so I gave it to her, hoping she wouldn't be terribly observant. After looking at it for awhile, she happily returned it, commenting, "Innocent words." (I am assuming that she missed the parts about the bar, the alcohol and the drugs!) :-)

Always have fun with Viola!

~ Faith

Viola...now there is a name you don't hear often! Brought back memories of my Aunt Viola... she preferred using Ola. They tell me I called her Aunt Okra when I was a tot. :D

Good deed you are doing there, Faith... sharing your music talent!

now thars a good ole southern name.

Good for you to go play for her! :hug: youre a good egg.

I'm sure Viola really enjoys your company. Very sweet of you to spend time with her:) :hug:
Honestly, some of the best times in my life were when I worked in a nursing home first as a CNA, then as a charge nurse of a floor of a nursing home. I miss working there so much.

My Mom was a very strict Baptist preachers wife. They were married for 56 years when he died. So when she moved into a retirement home it was quite a bit of culture shock for her. She is just now after almost 6 years beginning to understand that people can enjoy songs about bars and drinking. You have to look beyond some of the things they are singing or the ways they are moving and see the person inside. She just hates it that some of these women moves their hips and their breasts move when they dance!!!!!