Who is the Mystery Piano Man?
A young man, aged between 20 and 30 years, was found wandering the Broadway in Sheerness in Kent (UK) on 7 April 2005. His well-tailored evening suit was soaking wet and he was apparently lost. Since police interviewed him he has not spoken a single word.
When staff at Medway Maritime Hospital gave him pen in paper in the hope he would provide them with his name, he drew a picture of a grand piano instead. His carer, Mr Camp, took him to the hospital’s chapel to show him their piano and was shocked at what happened next.
The mystery man took to the piano and started a virtuoso classical piano performance much to the staff’s surprise. Since that day he carries the name “The Piano Man”.
Mr Camp communicates with the mysterious man only through little gestures. The man has so far failed to communicate more then through little nods to simple questions. His identity and background are completely unknown although one lead from the local area sounded promising and has yet to be followed up.
The Piano Man began to write classical music, which has been verified as genuine. With music being one of the most emotional and easy to understand ways to communicate, I wonder why nobody has thought of analysing what he is expressing through it yet?
Mr Camp is quoted as saying that The Piano Man was “extremely distressed” and may have suffered a trauma. And what does the average Jo do with the extraordinary, yet gentle beast when he doesn’t understand? He locks it away safely in the care of secure mental institution in north Kent while further assessments are being carried out. Karen Dorey-Rees, adult mental health manager for the West Kent NHS and Social Care Trust, said the mystery man was not talking and was frightened.
In an even more bizarre twist to this extraordinary “X-File” the labels of every item of clothing he wore when discovered had been removed!
As some suggest, The Piano Man may have simply suffered a nervous breakdown like the pianist in the 1996 film “Shine”. Others wonder whether he might be an illegal immigrant and is just taking people for a ride. The authorities are pondering whether he might have gone missing from national or international musical ensembles.
Whoever he turns out to be his appearance is certainly sparking a flood of blog entries and stimulates the publics imagination.
I think it is very odd that his clothing labels are amiss and that he appears frightend. Afraid of what? Perhaps he is a musical student from a posh Uni and got beaten by his tutor. Seriously, why would a person – unless utterly drunk – stumble around on the Kent coastline in the middle of the night?
Or perhaps he is just a posh lad with a drugs problem. But then even the most uncaring family would have quietly informed the right people of his identity and removed him from the public eye. He was found in April, which is now over a month ago!
Maybe he is an alien like in the movie K-Pax where Kevin Spacey suddenly appears in a train station and is promptly delivered to the nearest mental institute after he fails to give straight answers. If not giving straight answers, or any for that matter, is punishable by sending people to mental homes, than most of our government(s) would be sitting in well cushioned surroundings!
I am intrigued by this story and by what your thoughts of it are. Discuss.
Anyone who has information about The Piano Man is urged to call the National Missing Persons Helpline on 0500 700700 in the UK.
