Tannhauser as a measurement of time

My wife said we needed pumpkins and mums as porch decorations for Halloween. This afternoon I drove six miles to the nearest settlement, where there is a produce stand, and bought two buckets of mums, three big pumpkins and six little pumpkins.

As I drove onto our street, the local classic music station announcer said the next selection would be the overture from Tannhauser. Well, shoot, I said. The overture is one of three Wagner pieces I enjoy hearing. The other two are the Tannhauser finale and the popular selection from Tristan and Isolde. I thought, Well, I guess I can sit in the truck and listen, but then decided opening the doors and cranking up volume would be better.

I parked the truck near the front porch and turned off the motor and then turned the key to accessory position and turned up the volume**. I got out and closed the driver side door, not wanting to hear “Ding, ding, ding” for the entirety of Tannhauser, walked around the truck and opened the passenger door and the half door, both with speakers. Then, as the piece began, I started unloading the truck.

Tannhauser is one of those pieces of music in which at some point I will play conductor. Playing conductor, though, is not possible when carrying a big pot of mums (twice), nor when carrying and placing big pumpkins (three.) I could, however, conduct while carrying a little pumpkin in each hand.

I got everything unloaded and placed just right in time for all of Tannhauser – 14 minutes.

I suppose none of the neighbors was watching.

** If you think classical music is played too loud, you are too young.