Transcript of Mary Ann Ross Speaking in a Leslie Flint Session

He says you have so much to learn. And all of a sudden, in the corner of the room, as he was saying this, something I had not seen before. I saw a piano. I don’t know why I never saw this at first, but, because I’d always wanted to be a musician. I’d always wanted to be able to play. I’d always loved music very much indeed. And he had been a music teacher and I did not realize, I suppose it should have struck me, that he would naturally still be interested in music and that he would, if possible, have a piano and he said, now, he says, you can have one of your heart’s desires, you can become musical and I would teach you and you can learn. And, ah, I was so happy and so thrilled. It was just as if my youth had come back to me and all the opportunities that I desired and all the things that mattered most to me, were mine. Ah, I know this sounds so crazy.

Then he sat at the piano and he played like an angel, all the beautiful music that I used to love so much. And the short time that I knew him, he used to play in the Kirk [Church] and he used to play sometimes in the meetings that used to be held in the Social, in the village, you know. And he was playing all the things that I’d loved so much, you know. And not only those things, but other things too and it was as if, through him, I was almost, you might say, mesmerized into being able to play myself. Because I don’t remember in a sense, having lessons. Of course I must have had lessons, but it was as if when I sat down later at the piano, and he stood beside me, that is, my fingers sort of, automatically went to the right notes.

And I know now that it was him, working through me in a strange way, mentally helping me and helping my fumbling fingers, you know. And, ah, I know this sounds so extraordinary, then he said we go, sometimes to what you would call concerts and you hear the great people which makes me, he said, feel so insignificant, but it gives me hope that I might eventually one day be able to play beautifully. And I was not cross with him, but I thought well how stupid. And I said, but you play beautifully, you have a wonderful touch, you know. And he said, no, no, no, you haven’t heard what I have heard and I said, well I’m quite happy with you and the way you play. He said, well you must come with me and we’ll go to concerts.