OF LOVE AND A FAKE LEATHER GUITAR STRAP
OF LOVE AND A FAKE
LEATHER GUITAR STRAP
We did not have a dime to spare and sometimes not even a
dime. My husband and I with our two
children, now twelve and ten, were living on a small native reserve in Manitoba
in a house in a lumber yard, the only housing available. Our term of service with a Christian
organization establishing a market garden on the reserve was over. Yet we were still on the reserve with no source
of income. Even when our basic needs had been provided for by the organization,
we had not been living too high off the hog.
“Happy
Birthday, to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, dear Mom,
Happy Birthday to you!”
A cake, decorated in my favourite colour pink, ice cream,
Rien and the kids crowding around me as I opened my gift, what could be
dearer?
“What do you want for your birthday?” they had asked me. Rien and I were still deeply involved with
the little Gospel church on the reserve and going to a rescue mission in
Winnipeg to lead services and hand out food.
I played my guitar in both settings.
What I needed was a guitar strap, since I had to stand when playing. I knew we could not afford much, so that is
all I asked for.
With what eagerness they all watched my face to see if I
liked my gift, so carefully selected just for me. I could imagine them going all the way into
the city to the music store and looking at all the different styles and colours
and agreeing on the one I would like best.
What beautiful embroidery!
What a rainbow of colours with red predominating! No, it was not an expensive leather one – Rien
would have kept the gift affordable. It
was only on a plastic backing. Leather
lasts better, you say? Funny how I have
used that strap, tied on with blue yarn, over all these years and it has never
cracked.
Now I can afford to buy a genuine leather strap, perhaps with
personal insignia burned on, as fancy as pride will allow, but I can never seem
to do it. Every time I pick up my
guitar, I see my children again, and my late husband, and I feel warmed by the priceless
gift of their love.
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