TWO CRABETTES IN ORLANDO

(This story was offered by Crabette co-founder and chief co-conspirator Polly Cooper.)

Anita,

I was remembering our fun trip to Orlando to the accordion convention a few years back. Mainly I went so I could hear some great musicians, as I'd heard accordion players from Italy, Switzerland, France, and other countries would be there. And they were!! There were some of the most talented musicians I had ever heard. Their fingers flew over the keys, they did the bellows shake, they were sensational playing huge complicated instruments.

On the first night, we went downstairs in the hotel to a little talent show. To my horror, there was a sign-up sheet and to my horror again, you were signing our names!!

"Ohmygosh, Anita! I'm not going up on the stage in front of all these people and try to 

sound professional like these people who have come from all over the world."

"Well, there isn't any sense of not doing it," you replied, "after coming all this way on the train. We're going up on the stage!!"

Well, I sat hiding in my seat while one sensational accordion player after another was called up on stage and squeezed out polkas and tangos, with flying fingers.

The announcer got the room quiet. "Now," he said, "This is the moment you've all been waiting for. These two ladies from Savannah are going to perform Beer Barrel Polka and show you how it really should be done. Put your hands together for Anita and Polly!" 

I felt light-headed as I lugged my accordion up on stage behind you. We sat down. "Ok, on three, we'll go," you said. "One, two, three......Squaaaalllllkkkk!!!  Your accordion had a stuck note! 

Without hesitating, you stood up and said loudly to the crowd, "Anybody got a screwdriver??"

A couple of young men jumped onto the stage and started prodding and probing your accordion, but (thankfully!) they couldn't get it to work. You don't know how relieved I

was. I scrambled off the stage pretty fast!

This was one time when I knew for sure that somebody up there was protecting me. Remember?

Lots of love, Polly

And yes, Polly, she does remember, and she relived the whole thing with mirth today as we read it together.:)