A Strange Request At A Piano Bar [FICTOID]

“Do you take requests?”

“Sure.  What do you want me to play?”

The young woman twirled her hair with a smirk and said, “Play football for me.”

How juvenile, the pianist thought.  Still, he gave it a try.  “Okay, each of my hands is a team,” he said, wiggling his fingers.  “These are the players.  We have a kickoff -- “

The young woman’s smirk faded as his fingers raced to and fro across the piano keys, improvising a jazz riff while he narrated an imaginary game.

“First down -- forward pass -- penalty on the play for yanking a face mask…”

The young woman’s friends came up to the piano.  She looked awkward:  Her trick backfired and the pianist turned it into a carnival-like atmosphere.

Her friends laughed at the improvisation, ordering drinks like apple cider and sassafras tea.

The pianist eyed the young woman.  Her smug attitude slowly crumbled, like rusting iron under intense oxidation.

Better not press my luck, the pianist thought.  Especially since the boss told me I’d get the rude boot if I created any more controversy with the customers.

“Ow!” he said, faking an injury.  He rubbed his finger as if he sprained it.  “Gonna need to take a break, folks.”

The young woman’s friends looked disappointed, but she smiled with satisfaction, thinking she scored some sort of victory.

Yeah, right, whatever, thought the pianist.

And as he expected, she proved a lousy tipper.

© Buzz Dixon