 |
| Pianola. |
A. A. Milne is, of course, forever linked to Winnie-the-Pooh. Much like Roald Dahl, another author often boxed into “children’s writer” territory, I didn’t realize he also tried his hand at short stories for adults. That alone felt like a fun little discovery. While browsing free short-story websites (which has somehow become my latest obsession), I stumbled across The Patriot. It checked all the right impulse read boxes: a well-known author, a tiny page count, and zero commitment.
The verdict? Pleasant enough, but nothing that really had any lasting impression.
The narrator is a musically gifted man who reminisces about the time he owned an elegant pianola. Not a piano. This is the one that can play music by itself. It was a purchase that not only brought him joy but also helped win over his future wife, Celia. Music, love, life. Everything’s ticking along nicely. Then the war arrives and ruins everything. Piano playing all but disappears, and when peace returns, the joy never quite does. Both the narrator and Celia come out the other side more jaded, which feels honest enough. The pianola, once a symbol of beauty and romance, is now just a bulky reminder of a different life. It has now become an expensive eyesore taking up valuable space. Eventually, they decide it has to go.
It’s a very simple story, told with Milne’s trademark wit and brisk pacing that knows when to bow out. The tonal shift from light, almost glib humor to something more cynical works smoothly and feels intentional. Still, for all its polish, the story itself never quite rises above “pleasant diversion.” Nice to read, easy to forget, and ultimately more interesting as a curiosity in Milne’s career than as a must-read in its own right.
No comments:
Post a Comment