The maintenance man was just here doing some repair work in my new apartment. His four-year old daughter wandered into a room and among the various unpacked cardboard boxes lying around she found one open with a bunch of whistles in it.
She came rushing back brandishing a fistful of Generations saying look daddy! and then told me she wanted one for herself and one for her big sister. Oh, why not, I thought, got too many of the things anyway. I want this one, she said, grabbing one of my favourite C whistles. Oh no, I said, here have this yellow one (a brightly painted Feadog) and was trying to decide which was the worst nameless greentop for the sister when her father rescued me. He needs those things to work, said dad.
Later she came back and asked again for one for the sister, and this time I said no. I was then subjected to an interrogation. What do you do with them? What do you need them for? she asked. Well, I play them... sometimes. All of them? she insisted, disbelievingly.
There's no fooling kids. I didn't need them all and I didn't want to give her another one and she knew I had no reasonable excuse.
For the next half-hour there was an interminable shrieking of C# notes outside. That made me feel slightly better about my meanness. But I'm left with a lingering feeling of having my guilty secret (uncontrollable cheap whistle acquisition disorder) pierced by a tot.
Found out...
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FairEmma
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I live in an apartment complex with lots of kids around. You can't hide the fact you play a whistle (even this season with the windows closed and the aircon on), so rather like the Pied Piper, I wind up with lots of kids hanging around my patio, wanting to know everything about whistles.
I let them play my "jar" collection, and almost always I give one or two away. This has two advantages: first, it is the perfect excuse for acquiring more. Second, you never know the next budding Joanie Madden! And wouldn't you just love to be the person she remembers got her going?
And then there's the look in their eyes when they manage "Mary Had a Little Lamb"!
Some things are priceless. And then there are whistles.
FE
I let them play my "jar" collection, and almost always I give one or two away. This has two advantages: first, it is the perfect excuse for acquiring more. Second, you never know the next budding Joanie Madden! And wouldn't you just love to be the person she remembers got her going?
And then there's the look in their eyes when they manage "Mary Had a Little Lamb"!
Some things are priceless. And then there are whistles.
FE
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AnnaDMartinez
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- Tell us something.: Good to be home, many changes here, but C&F is still my home! I think about the "old" bunch here and hold you all in the light, I am so lucky to have you all in my life!
It's amazing how the little kids that come through Deadwood love to listen to me play my whistle, until their parents grab them and haul them into another boring casino! (or worse, a bar!) I considered getting a bunch of cheapie Clarkes to give to the facinated kids, and I'm always leary here of getting on the wrong side of the law here. There's a catch-all law for "soliciting" which was to keep the cowboy camp followers and street walkers out of here, but can also be construed to take care of obnoxious photogs like myself (whole other story). I made it a point to ask a cop friend if I could do this on the street, or even sell them...she told me it depended on whom on the city coucil disliked me this year. Turns out, to be legal, I have to pay $800 bucks for a business license...told them where to stick it...Think I'm going to try to introduce something that will let street muscians play on the streets here wihtou getitng busted for busking. There's so very little family entertainment here!
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rich
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"Give to the parents" is usually a safe bet, I think. (I'm no lawyer, though!) I <i>have</i> started the habit of keeping a new Sweetone with me for when people express an interest. I've only given out two or three so far (to adults), but all of them are still playing, although not necessarily playing trad. The Sweetones are reliable enough that I can buy them, leave the plastic on the mouthpiece, and hand them out, so people know they're getting a new whistle (QSS and all) and I know they're getting a playable one.
And thanks for reminding me how glad I am that I didn't have to move this year. Non-Quebecers -- imagine an entire province moving on the same day, and you've got July 1 in Quebec.
While I've got your attention -- what're the choice sessions continuing through the summer, Brother Steve? Maybe we'll actually <i>meet!</i>
<ul>-Rich</ul>
And thanks for reminding me how glad I am that I didn't have to move this year. Non-Quebecers -- imagine an entire province moving on the same day, and you've got July 1 in Quebec.
While I've got your attention -- what're the choice sessions continuing through the summer, Brother Steve? Maybe we'll actually <i>meet!</i>
<ul>-Rich</ul>
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FairEmma
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Sheesh, Rich ... I never thought about it that way. Goes to show how non-litigious-minded I am! Course, others would say I'm not being very conscientious, I suppose.
I took Anna's post to be about the legal ramifications of street-selling ... not giving whistles to kids. I can see it now. Film at 11 ... when whistle gifts go awry - local woman suffers from generousity.
What does QSS stand for? Some horribly contagious-via-saliva thing? I always wash the stuff kids use with a light bleach solution (they are cheapies, after all). although I know that doesn't get rid of everything. So how do shops that allow you to play wind instruments cope with this?
Sigh. What a world we live in. I'm looking at my jar of cheapies that has brought me and the neighbourhood kids so much pleasure. You know, some of these kids are floating around because their parents told them to scram for two hours (while they deal drugs or turn tricks).
Maybe I just should tell them "No."
FE
I took Anna's post to be about the legal ramifications of street-selling ... not giving whistles to kids. I can see it now. Film at 11 ... when whistle gifts go awry - local woman suffers from generousity.
What does QSS stand for? Some horribly contagious-via-saliva thing? I always wash the stuff kids use with a light bleach solution (they are cheapies, after all). although I know that doesn't get rid of everything. So how do shops that allow you to play wind instruments cope with this?
Sigh. What a world we live in. I'm looking at my jar of cheapies that has brought me and the neighbourhood kids so much pleasure. You know, some of these kids are floating around because their parents told them to scram for two hours (while they deal drugs or turn tricks).
Maybe I just should tell them "No."
FE
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StevieJ
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That's it! Thank you Anna, Rich, Emma, I should have a stock to give away on such occasions, and Clarke Sweetones are the ideal candidate. Appealing to kids, reliably consistent... plus I don't like them. I've had a couple and that's what ended up happening to them, I gave them away.
<i>Montreal interest section</i>
As for sessions, Rich, I'm sure you know about this site :
http://mtlsessions.cyberquebec.com/
and about the "Montreal_Trad_Irish_Music_Sessions" group at yahoo groups.
I go to Hurley's occasionally and McKibbin's occasionally, although between you and me I wouldn't describe them as always being choice sessions. Sometimes they are great crack, sometimes the music is great, and sometimes you get even both together. Other times it's less fun, and McKibbin's can be unbelievably noisy. So noisy you need a Susato. (Beurk!)
The "Mémoire et Racines" festival in Joliette at the end of July is worth a visit and I'll try to make it there this year. At the end of August you have the North Hero Piper's Gathering in Vermont, only 90 mins from Montreal, which is a lovely place for a swim in the lake and a session, and you can usually catch a couple of really good ones.
Alan Jones, another Montrealer (no relation!), founder of the North Hero festival who was ousted by a committee coup, won't be holding his rival event this year in Essex, VT. I can't blame him, but it's a pity.
Anyway as you say, perhaps we'll meet!
<i>Montreal interest section</i>
As for sessions, Rich, I'm sure you know about this site :
http://mtlsessions.cyberquebec.com/
and about the "Montreal_Trad_Irish_Music_Sessions" group at yahoo groups.
I go to Hurley's occasionally and McKibbin's occasionally, although between you and me I wouldn't describe them as always being choice sessions. Sometimes they are great crack, sometimes the music is great, and sometimes you get even both together. Other times it's less fun, and McKibbin's can be unbelievably noisy. So noisy you need a Susato. (Beurk!)
The "Mémoire et Racines" festival in Joliette at the end of July is worth a visit and I'll try to make it there this year. At the end of August you have the North Hero Piper's Gathering in Vermont, only 90 mins from Montreal, which is a lovely place for a swim in the lake and a session, and you can usually catch a couple of really good ones.
Alan Jones, another Montrealer (no relation!), founder of the North Hero festival who was ousted by a committee coup, won't be holding his rival event this year in Essex, VT. I can't blame him, but it's a pity.
Anyway as you say, perhaps we'll meet!