Two New Residents
Resident One: not welcome.
Strange movements of food last week. We found toast in the veg rack. Even I in my most cerebrally challenged state wouldn’t do that, even if the veg rack is next to the rubbish bin. Nevertheless I got the incredulous raised eyebrow when I denied loitering near the bin. What did she think I thought I was doing? The great toast prestidigitator.
Next morning, a big mess outside the kitchen door. Something had tried to chew its way through the door jamb - not me dear. It had nearly got through too. Rattex wedges were distributed around and the third morning, most were gone.
The next morning early, a big noise from the yard. Something was under the washing machine!! Got the torch to see a pair of beady eyes staring at me from the roof of the yard - standard sized rat. So much for the Rattex wedges. Probably been pumping iron now that they had cleared its sinuses.
For now, all is quiet - terminally so we hope.
Resident Two - welcome.
I had been mulling over the possibility of buying a new guitar for several months. I used to play finger picking style in the 60s & 70s but had not played for years. I have a guitar which is really frustrating to play as it has an action you can drive a bus through, apart from having the tone of someone beating a carpet.
I had wandered through one of the local music shops a couple of times and looked at guitars in my price range - about R3,000 - and not been too impressed. And then it dawned on me - buy a 2nd hand machine. I don’t mind the odd ding as long as the action and tone are good.
A swing through the local classifieds yielded several, the most promising of which was a 1984 Washburn, a name that I know. I went to have a look and it turned out it was the property of a local fellow who refurbishes and makes guitars. What better person to buy one form. We settled on R4,000 (from R4,500) and it included a really beaten up, much stickered hard case.
I am very pleased and hope to get lots of pleasure out of it. My neighbour was so impressed that he took his brand new Fender acoustic to have the action fixed - and then his friend went in to have his done too. I should get a discount.
The guitar also has a pickup and preamp and sounds good with an amp too.
Back to the rat.
We’re in bed and my wife says “Where is the guitar?” - “Downstairs” - “Not in its case?” - “No, on the settee” - “What about the rat?”
“What do you mean, ‘What about the rat’?” - “Well, it might get to the guitar”.
“Might get to the guitar? Do you think we’re going to hear a very high pitched rendition of ‘I did it My Way’ like the chipmunks on helium at 3 in the morning?”
Not only did she close the doors on the rat, she also locked them. “What are you doing? These things don’t go round with a set of lockpicks in their pocket!”
I ask you.