Dolphin Address 24
October 16, 2004
Now I did try a number of times to put the waterwing on the market. Always by amiable, enthusiastic and well connected people. Unfortunately they proved to be less amiable or their connection was invalid. And then I comforted myself with the thought, that at least I myself did enjoy it big time.
But then again I grew towards a new model that worked even better. I always feel like sharing this and find nothing wrong with making money on that. My last ideas concentrated on the design. The wooden versions are rather laborious and therefore too expensive. Besides, after the first one there is little creative challenge left. That is why I came to think of making something with pipes.
This summer I have been far to busy with Dusty, but I did keep my eyes open for possibilities.
A few weeks ago I treated myself to an Irish flute. A wondrously beautiful instrument and of exceedingly refined finish. That yielded an unexpected idea: the person that had made the flute, of a pipe, maybe could help me along to develop my waterwing construction. So I went for it. At first to the 'Magnetic Music Café' in Doolin, where I bought the flute. The proprietor was out and the girl that did the coffee had no idea where they came from. But the man that ran the music shop, three buildings further up would surely know. 'In any case nowhere around here' he said, though there where quite a few other instrument craftsmen in the neighborhood. Maybe I should have a word with Davy Spillane.
I did not believe my ears. Since 3 years I hardly play any other music on my car radio than Davy's. Last year I tried a few times to contact him. Just to tell him how much I love his music. He plays the Uilleann pipes and the low flute. He can make me skim along the cliffs of Moher like a seagull and with his music in my head I easily walk up a mountain. I went swimming a few times at a small wharf in Liscannor, where he often works on his boat, but the only ones I met were very fat bass. Davy volunteers with the Coast Guard in Doolin and I had several pleasant conversations with the men, but he was never there.
That was double luck, now I had a perfect reason to meet him, as I do not very much like this fan behavior.
He did not know Davy's address. But that they would surely have in the Magnetic Music Café. Asked the girl, where lives Davy, didn't know. But she did know that Davy, N.B. that very same evening at 9.30 was going to play at MacDermotts!
The faculty of veracity of the Irish people never ceases to amaze me. So I went to verify at my former food pub.
Oh no, Davy had not ever played anywhere around for the last 10 years. Then off to the Coast Guard. Thereandthere. Only missed one turn. Gigantic house, you can't miss it, indeed.
No one home. Then write a letter. And then some sort of a Masserati tore around the corner, curved into the parking and settled down.
(to be continued)
Jan Ploeg, Killohill, October 16th 2004
print version