Re: [HG-new] Re: Where's your monkey?

[Kazimierz Verkmastare]

I have it mostly memorized - like you memorize Irish music - I know by heart the important parts and fill in the rest with whatever seems appropriate at the time.  Helps to have been the one who composed it as well - the things I liked as I was thinking it up stay with me kind of automatically.  The delivery is everything - people (especially the aforementioned academics) like to feel like they are being educated by an 'expert'.  So I usually deliver it deadpan as I would any other part of a lecture or talk to the students, right up until the exagerrated cockney accent at the banana part.  They usually start to catch on just when I reach the 'trinity of gurdyism' phrase, by which time they don't have enough time to escape.   I used to give a rather minstrelly version of the same thing when playing at renn faires and such.  Made up a little tune for it and everything.   "To play the gurdy it takes three, the gurdy, the minstrel and the monkey.  As this is the gurdy in front of me, and of the two of us remaining the minstrel is not thee, then the only thing left is for you to be..."(end in silence)   But for some reason people at renn faires sort of expect the performers to be rude, so I was surprised at how small of a response that usually got me.  Wasn't much fun, in the end.   Chris > Wow, Chris > > have you really memorized all that? And do you deliver it with a > nice Sherlock Holmes-like British accent? > > > That's amazing. I want to be like you when I grow up! > > > lol > > > Augusto > > On Sun, Jun 12, 2011 at 3:16 PM, Kazimierz Verkmastare > <k...@nogy.net> wrote: > >> >> As once said by Holmes, remove the obvious and whatever is left, >> however improbable, must be the answer. >> > Thus a reply I have used once or twice myself > > "Sir (or madame), by your imminently knowledgable assessment, to > play the gurdy takes three elements.  The gurdy, the player, and > the monkey.  Now, as there is music being played, obviously all > three elements are present.  Since this instrument in my hands > being a mechanical construction and not a living organism is by > irrefutable nature neither a monkey or a player, we first eliminate > the gurdy as the object in question.  Now, while I will not > elaborate on my genetic heritage, in this particular case, since I > am operating the aforementioned and confirmed gurdy, that would > place me in the seat in this particular situation with the > placenote engraved 'player' on the plate in front of me.  Thus, > since I see no one else here, and there is still one yet unfilled > position in this trinity of gurdyism, all possible arguements > aside, whatever or whomever is left, no matter how improbable, must > tusly and without challenge be the monkey.  Would you care for a > banana?" > >> > Usually leaves them speechless - especially the academic types who > make such faux-pas while I am speaking to students. > > Chris >> >> >>> "You play a hurdy gurdy? Where's your monkey?" >>> >> "Here you are." >> >> This probably doesn't increase my tips, but it's gratifying. >> >> Melissa > > >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > To post to this group, send email to hurdygurdy@googlegroups.com To > unsubscribe from this group, send email to > hurdygurdy+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit > this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy   The rules > of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at > http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm.  To reduce spam, posts > from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to hurdygurdy@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to hurdygurdy+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy   The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.