Out On A Limb

So finally you stand behind Casey Martin as he plays the white spinet in the room just off the kitchen. His right leg is stretched out to the side so he can pedal with his left foot. He plays with expression and power and—surprisingly—without melancholy. He seems transported by certain selections (Winston arrangements of Pachelbel's Canon in D and Bach's Jesus, Joy of Man's Desiring) and energized by others. He plays Prince's Purple Rain, Billy Joel's New York State of Mind.

"I used to think years in advance," Martin said last week, his trial date looming. "Now I just think about tomorrow."

You look at the plastic milk crate on the floor, filled with songbooks. Then you look at the untroubled pianist, filled with hope. That's when you consider asking the toughest question of all, the Bacharach and David biggie: What's it all about?