Just How Silly Am I, Anyway?

Andy purchased a new-to-him guitar amp last week. It is actually a 70's model, vintage Musicman. Musicman amps were designed and manufactured by Leo Fender. Eric Clapton played with one for ages. Anyway, Andy has torn it apart and replaced the tubes and cleaned it all up. Earlier this evening he was playing his guitar in the livingroom. It was fine for awhile but it got to the point where I need some quiet. Or at least, a quietER setting.

Out the back door I went, hoping to sit on the deck in the cool of the evening. I often enjoy listening to birdsong or watching the trees move in time to the breeze. These activities are among my favorite for relaxation purposes. Of course, I need to be more realistic. I live in a housing development that is on a main street in a suburb of Greenville. The sound of traffic is usually the music I encounter whenever I venture out of doors. It drowns out nearly all other auditory stimuli.


However, today was different! Upon wandering out onto the deck and settling into my favorite rocker, I closed my eyes and heard ... a leaf blower. It was so loud I could not hear the familiar drone of cars as they (literally) sped by. But wait! There was more!!


Somewhere in the not-so-distant distance I caught the distinct sound of the lid to a gas grill being dropped back into place. You read that correctly. The lid had to have been opened and then just let go, allowed to slam back into its normal closed position....every ten seconds. I am not exaggerating. Every ten seconds, ka-WHAM! Or did it sound more like a CLUNK!? Add whatever you need to in order to give the sound the necessary metallic clang and you will have as near to an exact replication as possible.

I sat there for a few moments and then inserted my fingers into my ears. I kid you not. I put my fingers in my ears and with every fiber of my being resisted the overwhelming urge to scream, "Would you stop slamming the lid to that grill! And pull the plug on that blasted leaf blower, why don'tcha?!"

*Takes a deep breath*

And then...the dog in the yard adjacent to ours decided it was time to play with his new squeaky toy. "Squeak-a, Squeak-a, Squeak, Squeak, Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeak, Squ.." Oh good grief almighty!! I should have known better than to think I could find quiet outside at that time of day.

At this point there was nothing to do but laugh. Doing so, I gave up and went back inside. By that time, Andy had put away his guitar. After dinner I pulled up some celtic music and sipped coffee. It wasn't a bad salvage attempt, if I do say so myself!

(And I just did!)