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"Oh - Joyce wanted me to tell you about something that she saw down at the shop. I don't know that you would be interested in it, though." This from my mother - kind of a by-the-by as I was reading the paper. The shop, of course, being the shop run by the Adopt-A-Pet volunteers for their monthly sale to support the non-kill canine shelter that the group ran.
"What on earth did Joyce find?"
"Well, she was really insistant. She kept telling me that you wanted it - that I should buy it for you. Then she asked if Adpot-A-Pet would sell it on a time basis (the price was $25.00 and Joyce is on a very strict budget). I told her I would mention it to you. If you want to, we can go down to the shop and look at it today."
"Mom - exactly what are we talking about here?" By this time my interest was really piqued.
"Well - it's a drum. We really didn't have many serious lookers. There was one little boy that asked his Mom to get it for him - but his Mom said no after she asked me the price. I did have a good time walking around the shop playing it during the sale, though."
"Of course I want it! How could you not know that!" Actually - Mom knows that I am into metaphysical things - I am a Tarot reader, after all, and she has heard discussions between my sister and I, and between Joyce and I, but she never connected a drum with me.
Unless that drum was in tatters (which it would not be - the ladies put out used but useable merchandise) - that drum was mine!
We went down to take a look - it was astounding! A very well made, albiet well used, small drum. I could hardly bear to let it out of my sight! I took it home (yup - with some other goodies from the shop!) and placed it in my living room. Since it's just me and the fur people - no one was going to mess with my drum!
I held it, and looked at it - it became a part of me. Very well made - the drum stick a well chosen tree branch with padding of some kind at the end with a chamois covering over it. This was made with love by someone well versed in the craft. I was honored and humbled to have it in my care - to have my turn to walk with it.
A couple of weeks later I was driving downtown with a young man that was staying with my mother. We were chatting and, not knowing me well, he asked what I did for a living (he had to be very confused - I work from home as a reader, so it may have appeared that I didn't work at all :) ). I told him that I read Tarot cards for a living for a 900 line. He seemed surprised. I said, laughing: "You obviously have not seen my living room with all of my decks and books." He said:"Oh - I have seen the drum. Is that the one that was at Adopt-A-Pet?" I told him yes, it was. (He frequents the shop because his Grandmother volunteers there.)
He went on to tell me the drum's story. His friend was married to a Native American who's father lived on a local reservation. The father had at one time had a severe problem with alcohol. Part of his moving away from that involved making drums. Sean said that the man only made drums at certain times - not all the time.
I knew that my drum had been made with love and care - and now I knew who it was made by. I will probably never meet the gentleman, but he will forever have my gratitude and deepest respect. There will be a time when I will find someone to teach me the medicine of the drum. Until then - it will have an honored place in my home.
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