I was invited to play a Fall Farm Festival in Troy, Ohio. I was psyched. I told Alan, my slide guitar guy and he wanted to come along. Cool. I play flag football Sundays, with a group of local guys, and a week before the gig, I dislocate and fracture my left pinky finger.
The hand that plays chords.
I look down at my newly twisted hand, after blocking a pass, and I can’t bend it.
Not good.
The hospital was very efficient and fixed me up quick.I had a huge cast from my fingers to my forearm.Not conducive for music.
I didn’t panic.
I got the cast off Tuesday and I could make a fist, very slowly. Progress ! I get home from the hospital and gingerly begin to play. Relief, until I hit a “G” chord, which, uses that hinky pinky.
Ouch-o-rama…I try not to think about it.
Alan calls me. He’s had a death in his family and may be in West Va. for the gig. Not only am I hurting, finger wise, I may be without a guitarist . That is a serious problem. I start making calls. Who can play in Ohio and learn all my songs in a few days, in case I can’t perform ? That is a short list, but, after finding a player who formerly lived in Ohio, and, would love to visit his son while up there, Alan calls me. He is able to drive over from West Va. which is, in fact, closer to Ohio than Tennessee.
Super news!
The show Saturday goes fine, on a beautiful, sunny, autumn day. Great festival. I make plans to buy some honey from one of the vendors, to take back home.Yummy honey. So, Sunday,for our second gig, looks cloudy and windy. The weather gets so bad that bands at the main stage get cancelled. We man up, and play in a hurricane! The wind was blowing the tent all around us and it was audible through my microphone. But, as the saying goes:The show must go on !
We drive back to Tennessee in the rain. I love Ohio.