The Piano Exam

Edinburgh schoolteacher Brian Reid has an ambition - to pass a fairly basic piano exam. After trying a number of teachers, he finds one who might be able to help him...This short story was written as a prequel to the full-length novel "Four Old Geezers And A Valkyrie".How do older couples survive raising pre-school kids in modern America? You take notes and chronicled the journey in a series of rollicking, outrageous columns in the community newspaper. At least that’s what Lee B. Mulder did. “Couples that get pregnant in their 40’s and 50’s must be nuts,” he writes. “These are people with productive jobs, breakable furniture, cars without Cheerios and a comfortable lifestyle. But from the moment the rabbit dies, that all changes.”In this volume, the reader learns many valuable things from the point of view of a dad who’s way beyond young adult, things such as small children can be used as strategic weapons, powerful career women can also be powerful in the laundry, that STD Barbie is a very popular doll and that obedience training children with a collar and leash yields surprising results.Mulder’s fans write:“Wow, it’s refreshing. That’s me in there.” - Mrs. D.J., Glen Ellyn IL“I laughed out loud,” - Mrs. W.S., San Antonio TX“I enjoy your column every week. Is that stuff TRUE?” Mrs. D.C., Nashville TN“What are you, Erma Bombeck in dad’s clothing?” - Mr. T.W., Atlanta GACover design Julie SartainCover photo Jaimie Duplass, Bigstock Photo