Our Man in Europe: Part 50: "Say wha!?"

Part 50:  "Say wha!?"

Come live with me... and be my love....?

"No thanks!" -Lonesome Dave, like LUCKY LUKE (German comic book-Cowboy character, quick on the draw/faster than his own shadow!....) is happy, solo, and fearing NO man....and grateful for (his) the miracle of Life.

At the "ETE HUS" bar-kneipe, in Steinhude am Meer, I play a sold out/late night concert....to a largely inconsequential crowd (didnt get laid) and make a whooping 60 euros & a half bottle of Jim Beam.

(thinking...)....Odd thing IS....is that whilst, aging, I continue to "flail" in the Music biz....TRYING TO GET OUT!!!....but "the Biz" keeps pulling me back IN....and - the Biz - likes what I do (?).

Something to DO, I guess.

Steinhude Am Meer, the "meer", a large shallow lake, no water craft can have a "keel", and a lot like Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs-Arkansas, is a secret oasis/eden...`cepting....the light here is pure Turner (English painter, 1800`s/ no relation ti Ike & Tina/ and "light-wise", no need to go to Venice!)...patronized by the "cogniscenti" and the odd lost tourist (Loud tee-shirt/looks horny).....and  Steinhude, the "ville", reasonably lush, pristine, a "deutsche" no-brainer. Souvenier shops, Cafes, a pub or two, and restaurants whose speciality is (smoked) Eels, fresh from the lake, as it were. A lakeside promenade; visitors oozing relaxation.

But back to my Gig....at the ETE HUS, managed by a very decent fella named Karsten, the crowd, mid-30`s going on 50, but in THIS case "well keeled"....alas....ASSUME that someone ELSE is filling my Tip jar and quite oblivious - in the holiday/carnival atmosphere... to my actual monetary needs! (?)

Still. The gig is a blast. A Babe-A-Rama/eye candy for the Soul, etc.... Strangest thing? IN the throng, I meet sweet Catherine and her boyfriend Burt. Burt is from Holland; a Dutch dude (sic). And, leastways, in Europe, the Dutch are known for being, er...the most frugal - outside of Swabians - with their money.

European traffic carry national identity bumper stickers. GB for Great Britain, F, yes; for France, B for Belgium, I, for Italy.... Holland? NL, for the "Nederlands" which the French translate into "non-lucrative" as the Dutch always bring ALL their stuff (food, smokes, booze, etc.) with them when they go touring on holiday...so as not to get fleeced by the locals.

Anyhow, Burt (from Holland), happy in his cups, springs for a taxi - so as I can go fetch my guitar from a nearby house/which I forgot to bring, er....actually? I had infact forgot all about the blessed concert!
(Ahem!)
So Burt (from Holland) PAYS for the taxi and then bets me 50 euros that if I sound GOOD....he`ll put 50 euros in my tip-jar...

(Stay with me, folks. This gets good.)

.....BUT (says Burt, from Holland) if I SUCK? -I pay HIM 50 euros!

OK. That`s a Dutch guy talking. You can take a Hollander outta "Dutch-land", but you CANT take the Dutch outta a Hollander!
(Somethin like that)

Anyways; great concert: Baddabing! Good boogie: Axel, Jenny, Karsten & "Ralph", bartending....but the ONLY money in my tip-jar is a speckle of loose change (10 euros) and a very proud/bold FIFTY Euro banknote from (Hollander) Burt!....and, presumably, his sweet gal, Catherine!

Go figure.

And like I`ve told a million bartenders - and now You! - .....if no-one has "stoled" your Bible or complete works of Billy Shakespeare.....You do well TO peruse, if not for Faith? -then for the Getting of Wisdom!

"Say wha!?"

c. 2011/our man in europe/dave delacroix/ Hildersheim