6/22/10

On a recent Saturday morning, I was walking the puppy the ten blocks between our house and the coffee shop when, winding our way among a narrowing aisle of hedge roses and yard sale trinkets, I spotted these...

Shining in the clear yellow of the morning sun, a glossy blue and red drumset that reminded me of some bright dream from my childhood, maybe re-runs of Josie and the Pussycats, or the Partridge Family, who knows.
I don't usually stop at yard sales because, I mean, let's face it: really we need less "things" in our home, not more! So Mathilda and I kept our heads straight and our noses high and walked on by.
All the way to the coffee shop, however, I kept seeing that drum set gleaming in the sun.

Here's the other thing: when Q came home, my husband specifically forbade me to bring home a drum set. Guitars were OK, all manner of flutes and whistles, even maracas, but not drums.
Not drums.
As Mattie and I headed home with our coffee, I spotted the drums again, still there on the grass. The young man, seated in a rickety chair next to a table full of dusty and well-loved horse figurines, mounted soldiers, remote control cars and the like, wore thick Harry Potter glasses and a faux-fur tophat with stars emblazoned on it. He looked up at me gravely as I passed. He was maybe nine years old.

"Cute dog," he said politely.

"Thank you," I said. "How much for the drums?"
I walked Mathilda home and, studiously avoiding eye contact with my husband, grabbed some spare bills and the car keys.
The drum set is well-loved, beaten like worked copper by the pitter-patter of so many little drumsticks. The high-hat is a little wonky, and one of the toms keeps falling off. But Q loves it. Talk about more bang for your buck! All in all I'd say it's about the best four bucks I ever spent.

5 comments:

Stefanie said...

Oh my, who wouldn't LOVE to have those sweet drums!!
Go, Q!!

Snowflowers Mum said...

Dude, about two months ago Mike and I walked into the music store and asked how old you had to be for drum lessons. QQ is our girls HERO right now.
Paisley was rockin' out to the white stripes today, I told her the drummer was a girl...she was mighty impressed.
I will put my deposit down for QQ and the Pussycats first performance

kitchu said...

oh girl of my heart! this brings back some of my best memories. i used to play a bit in high school and percussion is by far my fave thing.

those are some rockin' bangers for a rockin' girl.

M said...

Okay, those are, I must admit, pretty much irresistible. Think of me when she's blatting your ears out - I've been putting up with it for almost ten years.

Michele said...

That was a huge bargain! But I still could not have them here. Your house is fine...can we come to play?