Friday, May 31, 2013

Last of the Blues


LtoR: Arta, Jean, Byrn, Wyona, Greg
...saying good-bye to the charming inside passage ...
I am starting to make my goodbyes ... looking forward to Alberta again. I dressed for dinner again – the glitter, the sequins, the pearls, the silk shawls, thinking how much fun they have been. Early by ½ hour, I went to spend it at the Cafe el Bacio, listening to jazz. How cool is that for the start of an evening. The guitarist was making me laugh, musically. “Would the guest from Room 2019 report to the Community Relations desk immediately.”

“Looks like somebody is not on board yet,” said the guitarist and then strummed dum, de dum dum / dum, de dum dum dah ... and the guests laughed. The theme from Dragnet. “I didn’t say a thing,” he went on.

“Can you play a tune from 39, 25, 37,” someone from South Carolina called out. “Can you give me the name of one of those tunes.”

“My Guy.”

“O.K.”, said the guitarist. “If I were in South Carolina, I would just do this.” He turned on his electronic section of drum strumming and let it play telling us ... look, music and no hands, South Carolina style. Those of us listening were laughing, at least on the inside. He said, “Look, I can do it manually as well,” turned off the electric aid and went on to pick the same rhythm on his guitar, soon adding the words and tune, his voice bending the notes in typical blues fashion. The people in the bar and its plaza were swaying with the music. “Now watch, as I add the band.” Back on went his electronic back up. Too soon the song was over. The audience was loving it. He slipped into some open conversation. They were two tables away from me. The waiter got mixed up and gave me the change from their bill. So I got a free drink and $5.00. And now they want $2.50 of it back.” Again everyone laughed and Butler slid into his next set. I had to go – formal night trumps blues in the bar ... at least when I am dressed for it.

Arta

2 comments:

  1. I missed that concert. If I could go back, I would not miss it.

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  2. Re missing concerts on the boat:

    When I think back to our trip there wasn't a moment when we didn't have a full line-up in the day of things we wanted to do. You and Greg danced every night away. He never missed a lecture. I liked going to to the afternoon and evening sets that the solo musicians did. A person could have just done that all day.

    When I hear people worried that they won't find enough to do in a day, I wonder which cruise ship they are going on. There were events for every interest. We never did get to the casino, the bingo events, and I missed all of the dance classes this round and the tours that involved just looking at the ship. So much to do. So much that has to be missed. No wonder people cruise again and again trying to catch up with it all.

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