Last Saturday I was peeling a carrot with a brand new serrated peeler that slipped and took a chunk out of the tip of my left index finger. Ouch! It was too small to have it sewn back on (which didn't even occur to me at the time) but bad enough for me to seek the assistance of my neighbor, who happens to be a nurse. I was stunned for the next two days. How could I be so careless with my hands? Then fortunately by yesterday I began to feel amazed at how quickly the hole was filling in and now it looks like I can start playing again. I wonder if I'll get a new fingerprint. Maybe I'll be detained next time I enter the US. Anyway, I feel grateful that it wasn't worse.

It makes me think of the great guitarist Django Reinhardt and how two of his left hand fingers were paralyzed in a fire (and not just that, the doctors would have amputated his right leg if his gypsy clan hadn't smuggled him out of the hospital), but he still managed to master his instrument and become a legend. About 7 minutes into the video below one can see how he solos with only two fingers.

Luckily, I won't have to learn to play the piano with only two fingers.