GOD, YOU ARE HERE AFTER ALL!

May God protect the players--and the fans--at the WORLD CUP FINAL today, Sunday July 11 . ABC TV and UNAVISION will air the game between NETHERLANDS and SPAIN 

at 2 PM EDT in the area where I live.

One who commented on my blog asked me if the header picture is my bass. I wrote her that it wasn't mine, but that it was a violin.  So it is from Dianne's suggestion that I remember and blog this experience:

This story I may have 

blogged two years ago

not sure--oh well...

A VIOLIN--IT'S MAKER--HIS PROGENY

Fifteen years ago I was returning from Cincinnati Ohio, on a flight to Fort Myers, an hour drive from Naples Florida, home. home. Seated next to me was an attractive woman, very quiet, as was I--yes, believe that, if you can--grin! Fort Myers International Airport was being drenched with an electrical thunderstorm centered directly over the landing strips. Our flight was delayed. This resulted in a "ring-around-the-rosie" circling of the airport high atop mountains of clouds and high above the raging electrical storm.

The lady I'll name Ellen asked me if the case under my seat housed a violin, that she'd been wondering about it the whole trip.

ME:  "Yep!"
SHE:  Oh! My Great-Great Grandfather was a violin maker, a luthier."
ME:  "Was he a famous maker?"
SHE:   "Yes, his violins are played by many orchestral musicians around the world."
ME:  "What was his name?"
SHE: "George Chanot. He is French."
ME:  "Lady, you won't believe this...but this violin of mine--under the seat--IS a Chanot!"
SHE:  (Thinking I am making an advance), "Welllll...may I see it?"
ME: (Hearing her disbelief), "Of COURSE!" I am just in awe over this happening here...what are the odds? ASTOUNDING!

I opened the case, uncovered the instrument, and she properly gasped--yesss, she gasped--grin!  My fiddle has a beautiful reddish color, which is envied by many. As she looked inside the "f" holes (Allright, guys, STOP IT now!!!) she could read the inscription of her ancestor's signature, the city, country and date. "Georges Chanot, a Paris, 1856" Some other words illegible...

It was an awesome moment that we sat there, each thinking of the wonders of this moment, this situation, this connection.

There should be some kind of ending here. whenever I think of those few moments before we landed, I feel like something is unfinished. I should have asked her name--she lived in Ft. Myers. I guess I and she were each so struck dumb by this event, we were beyond normal "thinking" stages of behavior. So, that's it.

Oh, just one more thing. She asked if I'd play something. And so, still seated and belted, I bowed out a couple brief show tunes. She cried softly, silently, genuinely and tearfully.  The passenger Peeps enjoyed every minute of this whole episodic adventure, even my playing.  Passengers and airline Peeps alike, were supportive, and agreed that God had a plan here, but nobody could guess what that was.

...and fifteen years after--neither can I.

A HAPPENING

GEORGES CHANOT, MAKER

a PARIS, 1856

Before the Civil War. 

Before Lincoln was President. 

Before steveroni was born! 

So you KNOW it is not a 

SEARS "Weekend Special"...

In September twenty years ago, I had been to Cincinnati visiting with my mother and  loads of relatives. Return-to-Naples Flight was uneventful. My violin which I bought in 1951 for $850 was valued in 1990 upward of $35,000, and it lay comfortably under my seat on the plane.

An attractive woman sat next to me on the 2-hour flight.  We did not speak--can you believe that?--grin! For hidden reasons, the captain announced we would be circling Fort Myers for about 20 minutes. The light-skinned, dark-haired Peep next me began the conversation:

Lady:  "Well, I guess we'll arrive late at the gate?"

ME:    "Yep!

"What is in that case on the floor?"

"A violin."

Do you play it?

"Yes, I do."

"My Great Grandfather made violins."

"Oh? What is his name?", I asked.

The next moment in the 20-minute lifespan totality of our "relationship" my heart jumped around, I felt feint, my knees became week.

I asked again, "WHAT did you say?"

"Georges Chanot."

"MY VIOLIN IS A CHANOT!"

She, the non-believer: "You are not being truthful!"

So I bent down and gently pulled out my violin case, opened it, displayed her Great Grandfather's signature inside the violin with the date. She was dumbfounded! AND, so was I!

And, yes, I did take the violin out, and played a little for her and the passengers, just as we were being told by the pilot, "We are going in!"

Something spiritual--we had not a clue--had happened. Possibly it was a moment we each needed to know God a bit better, and that He IS everywhere. Maybe it was our angels simply having a bit of fun! 

I have no idea of the odds of that brief meeting and connecting, but it had to be in the "millions-to-one" area. Oddly I did not get her name, nor she mine, and so our paths have not, and never will cross...on the other hand, who knows?  REALLY! Remember my slogan (also the name of my other blog) "YA NEVER KNOW".....

The story you have just read is true. No names were used so that none must be changed!  Sober that day--OH! Holy Crap!  I almost forgot!!! Lady is one of "US"...an alcoholic in recovery in AA--from Cincinnati, Ohio. "Ya Never Know!" That day in September was a"Miracle Day" for me.

It was 1990
This is 2010
Yes, I am still sober.
Hope the Lady is also.
Love all you Peeps! ♥

TURKEY IN THE STRAW???

NOTE: My writing on these blogs usually has
to do somewhat with recovery from alcoholism.
But I'm gonna deviate one day (maybe two)
and write about some things a bit more personal.

HEY FELLER! DO YA KNOW HOW TO

PLAY "TURKEY IN THE STRAW"?

If it might interest anyone: My violin is a Chanot (Georges), made in Paris (France, not Kentucky, guys!) in 1856 (before the Civil War?). It is a beautiful red color, the back is one piece, and the tone is superb.

Of course, the old joke is that someone will say, "Your violin has such a wonderful, resounding, clear, and mellow tone!" And the violinist (me) will put the violin up to his ear, shake it a bit, and say, "Funny--I don't hear a THING!" (Maybe ya hafta BE there?)

I've been playing since age five--that's seventy years (Why am I telling YOU this?), and you'd think I would know HOW to do it by now...Hmmmmm?

The TRUE story is that after not drinking for about six weeks, my sponsor asked me, "How is that violin sounding, now that you've stopped drinking?"

I had to answer truthfully: "Jim, it's terrible. The vibrato is wobbly, the tone is bad, it's out of tune, it sounds scratchy..."

And he answered without a second's hesitation, "Well, being sober has cleared up your HEARING, then!"

So, if you're following this far, I'll tell you that even my violin playing--which is much better these days--I attribute to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

So now I play weddings, funerals, a stage play or an opera now and then, the annual MESSIAH, A Baptist Living Christmas Trees (eight performances to 16,000 people) and lots of masses at my parish church. Of course, always I'm ready for club dates, as a strolling violinist, where I play show tunes, classical, and just about anything. Yessss, including "Turkey In The Straw"!

Thank you bloggers, I love you all, especially PG!

Who posted this blog?