The first of June.... the piano gets tuned....

Our friend Bill Cherry came by this morning to tune our piano. I mention his name because his name is all over the Internet anyway. Bill wrote a book called "Galveston Memories." Wonderful book filled with stories about growing up and living in Galveston. Bill is a BOI, which means "born on the island." The island being Galveston. And Bill has a zillion stories, all of which he tells with warmth and humor. He's just as cute as a button, and everyone who knows him just loves him.

The way Bill and I met was a story in itself, and I fully expect it to be in his next book, if there is indeed a next book of his stories. I had bought a copy of "Galveston Memories" -- I found it in Barnes & Noble, and at that time, I was collecting books about Texas. I read that book from cover to cover and loved it. Then it sat on my shelf for a good long while and I never opened it again.

From time to time, I go through my bookshelves and take out books that I haven't re-read. I either give them away in gift-bags to our friends who come to our parties, or I sell them on eBay. Well, I thought "Galveston Memories" was fine enough to try and sell, and I thought that our friends probably already had their own copies of Bill's book.

So on eBay the book went...... and within 24 hours, I had an eMail from the author himself, asking me "Why in heaven's name are you trying to sell such a worthwhile book that took years of my sweat and tears for every word on every page?!"

Pardon me? I eMailed him right back, telling him that I was selling the book because it was such a good book and I wrote such a fine description of it, and besides, how did I know he really was who he claimed to be in the first place?!

Our eMails went back and forth for over an hour, till he convinced me that he was indeed the author, and he said that if I took his book off of my auction page, he would personally come to my house and personally sign the book for me. Not only that, said he.... "I will take your softcover edition of that fine book and I will give you a hardcover copy that I will autograph right in front of you."

Now.... how could I resist. In all the years I've sold on eBay, I've never stopped an auction. But no one had bid on his book yet, and I stopped that auction and waited for Bill to come by with his promised hardcover edition of "Galveston Memories." While I was waiting for him, I re-read his book and started asking myself why in the world I took it down from my shelf in the first place.

Well, not only did he sign the hardcover edition of his book for me, but he sat with my husband and I for a couple of hours, talking about Texas in general, and Galveston in particular. We've all been friends ever since. And you can ask anyone who knows Bill Cherry: "When Bill takes you as a friend, he never lets you go." As Bill himself says: "I keep a good check on all the little birdies in my nest."

Sadly, Bill and his wife are moving up to Dallas at the end of this week. They've already sold their house here and Bill has been up in Dallas getting the new house ready while his wife finished out the last days of her job here. Bill was here this morning to tune my piano..... which is something he does "on the side," as he says. He's a fabulous piano player..... plays all kinds of music without looking at a note. He's been playing piano for years and years, and tuning them as well. In fact, before we bought our piano, we asked Bill to come with us for a look-see, because we really didn't know what to look for in a second-hand piano. He loved my piano from the first couple of notes, and told us that if we didn't buy it, he would.

Dallas. All the way up to Dallas. Moving from Galveston to the Clear Lake area was one thing. Moving from here to Dallas is quite another. I told Bill that he will miss the water. He will miss the Island. Indeed he will, said he, "... but we'll be here for your Christmas party, and we want to spend New Year's Eve with y'all, so let us know what your plans are as soon as you make them."

Such pressure, I swear. Guess I'll have to find another piano tuner. But there's only one Bill Cherry, that's for sure.... and all of his friends here will miss him and his wife once they start that long drive up to Dallas. Jeez.... Dallas, of all places.