flying v – the final chapter

It’s finished. December 2020, I took delivery of a Solo Gear guitar kit – Flying V - all the parts. Like a model airplane but instead of a plane, a full-size guitar. I figured it would be fun to build with the help of my friend Kevin Gullion of The New Vintage. There were delays - COVID19; he got busy; I got busy. In recent weeks, we finally finished painting. That left assembly. Kev did the wiring. That was tough. I put on tuning pegs. That’s the easiest job. Truth be told, with all the add-ons and upgrades I probably could have bought one cheaper, but it was fun to learn, and I ended up with a cool guitar in the end.     

clothes make the man

For the first time since I was 13, I don't own a suit – a formal sport coat and trousers. I always had one or two as I grew up, including during my CBC years but not for work. I dressed shleppy there. Being a radio producer meant behind the scenes. Jeans were fine. During my later years in communications at a post secondary, I felt I needed to up my image at the office. I wore a jacket and tie though it wasn’t mandatory. I bet coworkers thought it was a boomer thing. It wasn’t. I just felt like classing it up. I bought made-to-measure business attire and I paid extra for the fat guy size. Since leaving that job, I’ve been freelancing. Back to jeans. I gave away all my fat guy suits. Now I need one for a wedding. Off the rack here I come.

vaccine

I sit in a small office while the appraiser looks at my late mother’s jewellery. I suspect some is valuable, some is not. I hope he tells me more. He does. I wear a mask the whole time. He takes his off. We sit across a desk less than a metre apart. He’s nice enough until I ask, “did you get the vaccine?” “No, my family is prone to blood clots” and he mumbles something else. I stiffen. It dawns on me, he’s an anti vaxxer and masker. How many people visit him every day? How many does he breathe on and breathe on him? Could he spread it to me? Apparently, he doesn’t care. I had my first shot of AstraZeneca so if I get the virus, it will likely be mild, I hope. I’m never going back that’s for sure.