I'm afraid I really let standards slip tonight and crept out of the office an entire minute early, although my unpaid overtime tally now sits at almost seven weeks so I doubt anyone will complain.
I tuned into the Chris Evans Drivetime show as I usually do if I'm leaving at the right time and tonight they'd invited one of their favourite guests back on; a guy called David Morris who is the World's Whistling Champion. After only a few excerpts it was crystal clear to me why he held the title as he has an extraordinary talent and I'm sure I was one amongst thousands who were trying to whistle along on their journey home. Aside from his desire to entertain, he is also keen to get the human whistle recognised as an "instrument" in it's own right and it was then I realised how rare whistlers seem to be these days. I wonder how many people even remember Roger Whittaker?
Personally, I have rather modest whistling skills. I have never mastered the two-fingered taxi-hailing sheepdog-calling screech that many of my schoolmates did but I can hold a tune. A skill probably inherited from my Dad seeing as from as far back as I can remember, he has always whistled away as he potters around in his workroom or out in the garden.
Grandma always used to say that "a whistling woman and a crowing hen are neither good to God nor men" and although I'd never have argued with Grandma, my mate's wife Jo can whistle better than most blokes I know and seems to have done alright for herself.
By stark contrast there is someone else I know who has perfected the "through-the-teeth, rhythm-is-kinda-there-even-if-the-tune-isn't" technique and quite frankly, I'd rather he forgot it.
But what for the future? I can't ever recall Little Sis or her other half whistling around the house (even though he is a postman) so there's strong likelihood that it's a skill that may completely elude my young niece and nephew. Personally I think it would be a shame to see the art of whistling dying out all together.
Well that's my opinion anyway and if you don't like it, you can whistle. Or perhaps you can't...
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2 comments:
Never heard me whistle? well, I probably save the "meant-for-a-dog-but-also-handy-for-calling-children" whistle for when we don't have visitors. What Grandma would say, I hate to think! I often come close to using this "skill" in the classroom, but usually find enough self control to use a tambourine instead!
Ahh, there's hope for the future after all...
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