The Monk

[Paddler]

From the gig journal, May 2006

This particular gig was a "time-line" ball held in a 19th century inn in Whipper Springs, PA. In a time-line ball, you start with the costumes, music, and dances from a certain time period and then progress forward toward the present. We started with medieval music (bransles, etc) and progressed through renaissance, American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War. Then we handed it off to a swing band and they did WW I, Roaring Twenties, and WW II. Both bands provided dancing lessons for the flatlanders.

So we were packing up our instruments and sound system and were fixin' to git, when this guy walked up and introduced himself. He was wearing a WW II army uniform. He seemed to be 35 or so and had a buzz haircut. He told us that this was his last night of freedom. Egad, I thought he had enlisted and was headed for Iraq. But nay, but nay. He had joined a monastery and next day he was gonna be mumbling matins and sawing breviary timber. He just had to let us know he was spending his last night out with us. Well, I suppose we should feel flattered, but shouldn't he spend his last liberty drinking and whoring? He should have crawled up the abbey steps next morning with two bad heads and one of 'em with a cold. He said he was going to keep dancing, though, because it is mentioned in the bible as a good thing. I didn't contradict him, but I figure there is an abbot somewhere who's gonna have a few words to say about how much dancin' gets done.

MCR>
Abstractor of the Quintessence
Order of the Digital Grail