The music I played on my piano was my last connection to my late husband. But cruel neighbors destroyed that joy with a hurtful message on my wall. When my granddaughter found out, she set things right, leaving the entitled neighbors baffled.
“Oh, Jerry, did you enjoy it today, dear?” I whispered after finishing “Clair de Lune” on the piano. My eyes landed on a framed picture of my late husband, Jerry. His warm gaze seemed to sparkle back at me, just as it had during our fifty years of marriage…
My tabby cat, Willie, stretched near my feet, purring softly. I bent down to pet him, feeling the familiar ache as I picked up Jerry’s photo.
“I miss you so much, darling. It’s been five years, but sometimes it feels like just yesterday.”
I kissed the glass gently and whispered, “Time for dinner, love. I’ll play your favorite before bed, okay? ‘Moon River,’ just like always.”
As I placed the photo back, I almost heard Jerry’s playful chuckle. “You spoil me, Bessie,” he’d say with that charming smile.
That evening, I lay in bed, whispering, “Goodnight, Jerry. I’ll see you in my dreams.”
The next morning, while playing Chopin’s “Nocturne in E-flat major,” a loud knock on my window startled me. My new neighbor was there, red-faced and angry.
“Hey, lady!” he yelled. “Stop that racket! You’re waking up the whole neighborhood with your awful noise!”
Shocked, I stammered, “I… I’m sorry.” But a small voice in my head knew it was only 11 a.m., and no one else had ever complained before.
The man stormed off, leaving me shaken. I closed the piano’s lid, my safe haven suddenly tainted.
The next day, I shut all my windows before playing, hoping to avoid further trouble. But just ten minutes into Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” my doorbell rang aggressively. With a heavy heart, I opened it to see a pinched-faced woman glaring at me.
“Listen, old lady,” she sneered. “Quit playing that piano! The grave’s calling, and you’re still banging on those keys?”
It took a moment for me to realize she was the angry man’s wife.
“I closed all the windows,” I said, confused.
“Well, it’s not enough!” she snapped before storming off. “Stop making noise with that stupid piano!”
I was crushed. “Oh, Jerry,” I whispered. “What should I do?”
I imagined his comforting voice saying, “You play, Bessie. Don’t let anyone stop you.”
But that day, I couldn’t bring myself to play.
Over the next few days, I tried everything—covering the windows, playing shorter pieces—but nothing seemed to satisfy the neighbors I had now started calling “the Grinches.”
Then, one morning, as I stepped out to tend to my garden, I was met with a heartbreaking sight: “SHUT UP!” was spray-painted in large red letters on my wall. I collapsed in tears. “Jerry, I can’t do this anymore.”
That day, for the first time in decades, I left my piano untouched.
Later, my son Jacob called. When he heard what had happened, he was concerned. “Mom, why didn’t you tell me sooner? We could have helped.”
“I didn’t want to bother anyone,” I replied.
“You’re never a burden, Mom. Melissa’s closer. I’ll call her to check on you, and we’ll sort this out together.”
A few days passed, and then one evening, my granddaughter Melissa showed up. She was horrified by the graffiti and furious on my behalf.
“Nana,” she said softly after hearing the full story. “They don’t know who they’re messing with. We’re going to teach them a lesson.”
Melissa quickly got to work. She called in favors, enlisted neighbors, and set up small speakers around the Grinches’ property. That evening, when the neighbors returned home, piano music began to play from hidden speakers. Confused, they rushed outside, only for the music to switch to a symphony of barking dogs and car alarms.
Melissa grinned and said, “Time for the grand finale.” She pressed a button, and the yard filled with hilarious fart noises. I couldn’t help but laugh until tears rolled down my face.
“Melissa!” I gasped. “You’re terrible!”
“No one messes with my Nana,” she replied, hugging me.
The next morning, contractors arrived to convert my piano room into a soundproof studio. Melissa smiled as she squeezed my hand. “Now, you can play whenever you want, Nana.”
I sat down at my newly polished piano, hesitating for just a moment before playing “Moon River.” The music filled my home and my heart, as I felt Jerry’s presence surround me once again.
