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Slim Randles' Home Country
In the face of practice makes perfect
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[JUNE
17, 2006]
"I'm getting the
bass buttons down now," said Dud, gleefully flipping his coffee mug
to the upright and fillable position. "I'm telling you, in no time
at all, I'll be able to play a waltz or polka on that thing." |
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"Dudley, me lad," said Doc, unofficial chief music critic at the
philosophy counter, "as a physician, I am suggesting you have that
accordion of yours tested." "For what, Doc?"
"Asthma. I've heard you play it."
But there is something in the soul of an artist that cannot be
dimmed by mere mortal criticism, some inner belief that if one
simply practices long enough at one's craft, something good will
emerge.
Artists' souls are sometimes wrong.
"It's really a wonderful instrument, guys," Dud said. "I mean,
think about it. With an accordion you have the equivalent of an
entire orchestra. You have the treble, you have the bass, you have
those stops... you know, the switches you can flip so you can sound
like everything from a church organ to a clarinet solo."
Dud looked around at the other members of the world dilemma think
tank as they sipped coffee. It was a quiet morning in the Mule Barn
truck stop. The rest of us were careful not to give anything away by
our expressions. We know it drives Dud nuts. That's why we do it.
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column]
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Finally, Steve drew himself up to his coffee-drinking pinnacle of
thought. We saw he was going to say something. When that cowboy says
something, it sometimes makes sense and sometimes just comes from
having seen the world from between the ears of a horse. But ol'
Steve was looking serious. When he's serious, he looks like a
combination of Wilford Brimley and a great horned owl.
"Would you say, Dud, that you're gaining ground on learning that
'Lady of Spain' piece?"
"Hey, Steve, I've got that sucker surrounded and I'm closing in
for the kill."
"Well, I heard you worrying that thing the other day and it
sounded more like 'Lady of Pain.'"
[Slim Randles]
Brought to you by
"Sun Dog Days,"
now on sale at bookstores everywhere, or from www.unmpress.com.
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