All The Rhythm

I knew my father would have a suitably painful punishment, which he would no doubt enthusiastically apply to me, once he found out what I had done. It would be a massive punishment. This time, I had stolen more than a 5cent chocolate fish and looked at what had happened then (see blog Wednesday 7^th of November 2012). I did not doubt the fact, that, while everyone had shared in the ‘bounty’ of my misdeed, I had still stolen the money. That act of generosity, that ‘Robin Hood’ moment would not be taken into account. I would be the one to face the music. There’s a weird phrase isn’t it? When we are looking at a problem, or trouble, people say, “Might as well face the music.” So why would that be?  Trust me, my father never gave musical punishments. Unless you referred to the beat, of the non-rhythmical whacking, on my derriere (backside). Apart from a bad lesson in percussion. Then again, isn’t that the running joke about drummers? They can’t keep the beat? There is a story in my family, when my oldest sister was dating a musician and the poor lad was invited to dinner at our place (who would be so cruel). Sitting at the table opposite a line of staring children. my father had asked the usual fatherly question of him, “So, (name forgotten) What do you do for a job?” The lad had replied, “I’m a musician” Father looked unimpressed (unlike we children) “I’m a drummer” The nervous lad had continued. “And what do you do?” my father inquired, not understanding the employment role of a musician. The lad paused confused and looked at my sister, then back at my father. “I drum” was the forthright answer. My father had no concept of someone ‘working’ as a musician, particularly someone working as a drummer.” Thus ended the conversation.

But ‘facing the music’ as a phrase, appears to have a mixture of sources. Most of which are mid nineteenth century. There is the one where disgraced officers were drummed out of their regiment. Or, the one where actors/singers facing the audience, also faced the orchestra pit, and hence, ‘faced the music’. There is also the fact that musicians need to have the music in front when sight reading a piece,which can be a harrowing test. Thereby suggesting the face the troubles. I tend to lean towards another version. That armies used to march towards each other with drums, pipes or even horns and trumpets sounding to stir up the forces. Therefore, soldiers walking into a dreadful situation would hear the oncoming forces and of course, ‘face the music’ unless they turned and ran away. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

However, whatever the source for such a phrase, I, was having to ‘face the music’ alone. And rightly so. Just as Robin Hood had always been responsible for what he had done. So was I. Although, he also had the ‘merry men’ to support him, aide him and rescue him. My plan had definitely not been thought through.

(Continued tomorrow)