Make Up a Story
Stories from Around the World
Notes in Solitude (aka Later Eaten by a Crocodile aka He’s Tooting His Own Horn)
How did he get here?
The water’s not that deep and he walked over.
Or he descended from a ‘divine place’ and waked on water.
On a parachute. A boat. He swam. It’s just happening.
He’s got a little boat which is tied to the stump. You can’t see it.
By boat – and he reached the rock. He walked there.
His wife took him out in a boat and said “I’m going to leave you here. I’m tired of listening to you.” And he’s been playing happily ever since.
There was an earthquake and he was surrounded by water but he could swim so he survived ok.
He hoisted himself out of the water using the stump (indicated small branch on the side, pulled himself up with that.) I’m going to tell you a joke I heard in Las Vegas by Oscar Brooks. He told a story of a man and wife who did not get along and the woman said ‘when you die, I’m going to dance on your grave!’ But the man responded ‘What she doesn’t know if that I’m going to be buried at sea!’(lots of laughter)
He's in his own element playing his trombone. He doesn’t need an audience.
What kind of music is he playing?
Blues. Jazz. Soft music. Notes.
He came from New Orleans on a cloud and was sent down to the rock.
“Oh When the Saints Go Marching In” (sang the song)
Reverie. Something to wake you up in the morning.
At peace with the world – playing soft trombone music.
What do you want to say his name is?
Waterdog. Sam. Herb. Jim. Johnny.
Ben or Chris because he’s in a band.
Aqua. It’s Latin for wasser - water.
Henry - after my grandson.
Louis Armstrong.
I have a story – I liked Elvis Presley as a kid and I wanted to pay the guitar just like Elvis. So I joined the band but there were no guitars left and the teacher gave me a flute. I said ‘no thanks’ and that was the last time I tried to play the guitar. But when I grew up I bought a saxophone and found I couldn’t play it so I put it in the paper for five hundred bucks. A kid – maybe 8 or 9 years old came and said ‘I’ve only got $200.’ So I said “can you play this thing?” The kids said “I’ll try.” So I said to him “I’ll take your two hundred bucks for it but I want you to come back in three months and show me how you can play. When the kid came back he played so well that I have him the $200 back.
Did he seek solitude or is he lonely?
It’s a little of each – because he’s on the bayou.
He was going to a baseball game and ended up here.
He’s learning a tune so he wanted to be alone and avoid hurting others’ ears from the ‘skritchy scratchy.’
What does the air feel like?
Hot and humid. Hot, very hot! Quite warm. Warm and quiet.
Cool and cloudy.
There are trees shining on the water, making it green.
Strange that he’s sitting on that charred tree stump but nothing else around. Soaking his own solitude – he’s quite content.
I wish I was there.
Other Title Ideas
A Mellow Player
A Charred Tree Stump in the Lake
If it was a girl sitting there I’d say ‘Little Miss Muffet Sat on her Tuffet’…
A man enjoying himself
The trombone
Aqua
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