Seagull Man and Piano Man

This morning…It’s seven-thirty; the sun’s rising over the sea; there are dog-walkers, joggers, folks cycling to work along the promenade, a few seagulls circling overhead, the cleaning-lady’s busy in ‘The Jolly Sailors’…

Suddenly the peace is shattered. Hundreds of seagulls appear overhead, squawking at full volume. Seagull Man has arrived. I’ve seen him before. The seagulls know him. They’ve picked him out from everybody else. He pulls a bag out from his back-pack. The seagulls get more excited. He throws food to them. I can scarcely see the man for seagulls.

Seagull Man walks away. The seagulls disperse. For a few moments there was noise and activity; now peace is restored.   

Billy Joel’s song ‘Piano Man’ tells of a professional piano player at a city bar. He knows the staff; he watches people coming in and out of the bar and knows many of their stories… There’s his friend, bartender John who buys him drinks, Paul a real estate novelist, Davy, who’s still in the navy, the waitress who’s practicing politics… They all ask:

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feelin’ alright.

Throughout the evening Piano Man plays his songs, provides enjoyment. The evening ends.  Piano Man leaves; those in the bar return to their ordinary lives…

Musing… Seagull Man and Piano Man both have a specific, time-defined job. Both have a good reputation for being totally dependable… are totally committed to their role… provide an important, willing, generous service… are content to remain anonymous…

There are friends and family that I’m close to; I see them regularly. There are others I see briefly, occasionally. I have a specific, time-defined role. I’m their Seagull Man, their Piano Man

I pray that today… I may be aware of those occasional, apparently insignificant contacts… that I may be a willing servant, a generous giver… giving food, playing music – literally, metaphorically… content to play my part cheerfully, dependably, humbly.