The Piano Player is Ten in Costco

I shot down to Costco this afternoon to get some supplies for the cafe. Inside the store, there was a display model electric grand piano, and on its bench sat a young man in a navy blue sweater. He cocked his head to one side, and then began to play. His notes were light, and the song was Rachmaninov, and the music was sweet, as a small crowd began to gather around him.

"He's been there all day," said a woman wearing a hairnet, who was passing out samples of chicken tacos at a nearby stand. The people chatted softly as the 10-year-old maestro played on. The notes were melodious, sweet and true, classical music echoing off of the high steel rafters of the West Springfield warehouse store.

The young man's eyes were closed as he played, he bobbed his head in time to his notes, his fingers cascading over the keys, softly, perfectly. It was gentle and it was beautiful.