Note: this is a story that comes out of early Melbourne days when people tried to help each other to survive and thrive - particularly the new Irish and Italian settlers with their very strict priests - the fire and brimstone type......so urban legend or not it's a good story. Fact is, this story has been attributed to a great uncle of mine who despite the methods used had a good heart! Father Augustus V...

The kettle whistled pierclingly, breaking her reverie as she lovingly stroked the shiny surface of her newly bought and just delivered grand piano. She wandered out to the warm kitchen where the smell of gas combined with the strike of the sulphurous, redhead match confirmed that she was in the core of her home, although her heart lay in the next rooom. Lucia tugged her red, wool dressing-gown tightly around her thickening waist, before flicking her dark, thick, grey-streaked plait over her shoulder getting it out of the way of breakfast. As she sipped and chewed, she thought about how long it had taken to save the huge amount of money needed to buy her beloved grand.

All her life she had, not to put too fine a point on it, desired such a piano. Even when she had practised her opera singing in the many, different halls around the world, she had always been of the opinion that if she had had her own  grand piano, life in the operatic field would be infinitely easier. Delivered only yesterday; her beloved Steinway baby grand piano was now sitting in pride of place in her sitting room in the suburb of Thornbury.

Suddenly there was a sharp knock on the front door, Lucia went to see who it was and recoqnised two people from her local church. She opened the door and asked if she could help them in some way.

One of them said to her that Father Gus had asked them to come around to collect the grand piano - her grand piano - "what" she said "she knew nothing about this" - "where are you taking it?" she asked. "To the church hall" said the chap. "The fete's on today, Father said it would be ok - that you would understand!".

She thought carefully for all of about two minutes. "Well" she said. "If it's for Father Gus - that's OK - just be careful with it!".

So off they trundled with her baby grand and she finished getting ready for the day. Later in the morning Lucia decided to go down to the hall and check out the fete. As she walked into the hall she noticed a huge sign announcing a stupendous raffle. She spotted Father Gus in the distance and went over to ask why he had needed her piano and what was being raffled.

"Well" he said . "The raffle is a baby grand piano, a Steinway what's more! (as you can imagine she nearly fainted at this piece of news...) and it's being raffled to raise funds for the nuns...they really need a convent!"

"Buy a ticket and as the Lord Jesus is God you will win!!".

And she did!!!

copyright: a.a.gallagher 2008.