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To help give a bell-ringer a break, I had previously phoned the local chapter of the Salvation Army and volunteered to play an hour. They put me in front of a well-trafficked WalGreens today at 3:00 and I played a variety of traditional and secular carols for an hour. The sun was out and it was quite a pleasant experience. Everyone who walked past was either bemused or actually complimentary. The best part of the day was when a lady, yes, a lady, exhibited the General Patton approach to Christmas giving. Upon hearing my tuba, she walked right up, said loudly, "This sure beats the hell out of those damn bells!" And she stood there stuffing a wad of bills in the kettle. Of course, I stopped, smiled, said thank you, and proceeded on. When I got home I told my wife and we laughed until we had to sit down!

Merry Christmas!

Perhaps she was just referring to your rhythm...

Sounds like she had too much eggnog "with".

iiipopes wrote: I had previously phoned the local chapter of the Salvation Army and volunteered to play an hour. They put me in front of a well-trafficked WalGreens today at 3:00 and I played a variety of traditional and secular carols for an hour. The sun was out and it was quite a pleasant experience. Everyone who walked past was either bemused or actually complimentary. The best part of the day was when a lady, yes, a lady, exhibited the General Patton approach to Christmas giving. Upon hearing my tuba, she walked right up, said loudly, "This sure beats the hell out of those damn bells!" And she stood there stuffing a wad of bills in the kettle. Of course, I stopped, smiled, said thank you, and proceeded on. When I got home I told my wife and we laughed until we had to sit down!

Merry Christmas!

Perfect, if you wanna spread a little joy, get out there and lay some tuba on the folks. People love tubas live and up close.
Last Saturday, at Cosmo's beachside bistro, three ladies in their 50's had dinner at the closest table and lingered with us until we played "Happy Trails". As they left, one lady asked me what kind of horn I played.
I told her, " Tuba, unless you were from Alabama, then it would be tuber."
She said, "What ever it is, the sounds coming out of it made me smile".
I consider that the ultimate compliment. I thanked her for taking the trouble to stop by and tell me that. I will remember her.

bloke wrote:I was under the impression that the nomenclature in Alabama is

"base howern" and "bear-tone"...??

Sounds like you're from around here.

The one thing that I have found fills the kettles for the SA is music. The brass quintet that played for the SA kettles in my home town always had the biggest pots.

It's fun and it helps, why not.

Sou