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The Piano Teacher
From the Mailbag
Dateline: 06/25/01
Dear Guide:
I have had two email chain letters over the past year and both are very similar in how they are set up. I figure that they are some kind of sympathy hoax but have not seen anything on them. I can't remember specifics on the first as it was a while ago, but generally the boy was a ballplayer and a poor one at that; he missed practices but shows up for the last important game. "Put me in, coach," so my Dad can see me play. His dad died during the last few days and can see him play from heaven. The latest one I received this past week was on Robby the musically challenged student and his teacher Mildred Hondorf. He is a terrible musician, misses classes, then shows up to be in the recital. "Put me in," so my mother can hear. He can suddenly play like a prodigy. His mom had died that morning and for the first time she "hears" him from heaven. The story lines are so similar that I believe that they are both rumor stories but would like to know for sure so people wouldn't forward this stuff on. It is kind of like reading the National Enquirer - if you take it as "humor" and enjoy the made-up stories than fine, but some of this people really believe and get very emotionally upset about. Thanks for checking into it!
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