Bad luck is often what we make

While Friday the 13th started with only slight apprehension and a determination to be careful, events can overtake you when lady luck goes for a drive.

The day went along swimmingly. Stories flowed slowly from my two fingers. Projects like mailing back two TC Helicon floor pedals remained unpacked in boxes on the hall floor where they had been all week. My new song 56 Percent Man remained unrecorded. I was being cautious, not pushing my chances. The recording session the night before was a disaster with the computer deciding my music was not recordable. Research on Friday proved the fault to be mine: I neglected to turn on the Firewire drivers to encourage the song to flow from the mixer. Other than that I was in a fine mood.

The Conseil acadien de Rustico invited me to Party de cuisine (kitchen party) it was hosting as part of the Célébrations de la Francophonie. It is being held Friday evening starting at 7 pm at the Rustico Bay Seniors’ Club “seeing as we don’t have a centre scolaire-communautaire.” That could be hot time in the old town tonight with the Acadian parents for the cultural centre and the Cymbria Lions mixed but a chance to perform is worth taking. I had been to the Seniors Club before to hear Chuck and Albert and meet Guy the Painter

At 5 pm the phone rang and Edith was reporting in. She had an accident and the car lost the passenger side front wheel. After finding out that everyone was OK, which you can’t believe right after an accident. Shock plays tricks with the nervous system and most people will report excitement or euphoria. Got her a tow truck and car rental on the go. The girls arrived home all excited, with claims of whiplash and “I nearly died” which was only inches away from reality for Natalie. Lucky girl.

A nice young man from the car rental company arrived and something told me I knew him. As we drove back it dawned on me: he was Rene Pike’s boyfriend. He was amazed I knew her. Rene is the famous “nurse” to my masked man in the picture taken at Hunter’s Halloween Party several years ago. Turns out Scott Bradley is from the Morell area. I did accounting for his grand father back in my Kings County days. Please don’t break out into its a small world after all.

By 7:30 we were out in Rustico and I was feeling pretty content to be back at the Seniors Club, an old building with with low ceilings. It works. Old friends were there like Art Buote who is Mr. Musique Organizer in Rustico, the Pineau’s and more of the Gallant musical tribe. I was the last guest to play and old even older friends came in the door. We had a rip roaring time and closed on a sing-along of Un Canadien Errant, which I’ve decided is my Acadian signature song. It’s the only French song I know without the music and words.

Un Canadien Errant

Time to leave and I decided to be a gentleman and hold open the door. Rounding the car I stepped on the only black ice in Rustico and ended up slam bang on my back. Edith said I was in the rear view mirror and then I wasn’t. Ow that hurt. The slam was so bad my body went into shock. Crawling back to the car, I humbly asked her to drive home. Every PEI frost heave from Rustico to Charlottetown hurt somewhere between the toes and the nose. There was only one cure for that, well two, T3’s and sambuka.

I thought for sure I would wake up all sore and stiff. It’s 4 am and I did wake from the pain but I think I’ll live. Black ice at night is my nemesis and you’d think after all the falls I’d carry a small flashlight or just stay home. Whatever. Think I’ll try to record this morning and head on over to the Farmer’s Market. Or not.