Of Ceiling Fans and Washboards, in Another Time
October 12, 2014 -- My husband Tom is a travelling man. He doesn't travel far at all without me, but because of his hobbies and avocations, he leaves this island more often than I do. Yesterday, he had a gig. The Blue Dirt Dixieland Jazz band, for which Tom is percussionist, played at lunchtime at Fleamasters, an indoor flea market on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Fort Myers. For this gig, the band was in its “strolling” mode, so Tom played the washboard instead of his drums. Tom has customized his washboard so that it includes a cowbell, a little cymbal, and other things. He uses extra-extra-extra large thimbles on his fingers to play this contraption. He needs more huge thimbles, so if you see any, please let me know. Later, at home, he said, “You know, I think I’m even better at playing the washboard than the drums.” Clearly, he had a great time. When the gig was over, he engaged in another of his favorite past-times: shopping....