Chapter 5, My Sister was a Piano Freak Summary

Music lessons are important for children because they are deemed to be a mark of maturity. Eddie's older sister begins piano lessons in the first grade and, as a result, much family time is spent looking for a used piano for the budding musician. Feeling a little jealous, Eddie purchases a harmonica at the local dime store and teaches himself to play it in short order. Older sister is unimpressed, stating that the piano is the most perfect instrument. By the time she reaches high school, like so many others, the piano is seldom played. Finally, Eddie's father assigns tohim the task of chopping up the piano for the trash collector. Eddie is surprised at his ambivalence. While he relishes destroying the instrument that had been played by his sister at...