You are not going to believe this, but I don't know where this story began. As the story-teller I usually have the advantage of being wherever I need to be to catch the details. This time I had no clue a story was in the works until one afternoon I happened to hear something on the radio.
I like KSATCH Radio, "The Voice of Hobbytown." Satch Fry always has stories to tell, he keeps Hobbytown listeners up-to-date on what's happening around town. And when he gets tired of talking, he sets up a stack of albums on a record changer, and let's them play.
One quiet evening, after the daily sit-around with Clem Samuels at the Hobbytown Zenith (where Clem is the chief editor, in case you didn't know that), I got home, as usual, took my shoes off, put some leftovers in the rice cooker, and sat down in my chair, and turned on the radio. That's what I do when the day is done for me, and I have nowhere else I have to be, and nothing else I need to write.
When I turned on the radio, they were just winding down from the last song on a Moody Blues album, and then I heard "dtoon dtoon dtoon," three notes on a marching xylophone signalling either breaking news or something developing at the radio station. I figured it was just something at the radio station, because it was about the right time for Flander Rapsidy to stop by at the radio station on her way home from The DIY Shop, which she owns and manages.
Flander is Hobbytown's very own homegrown marching xylophone player. Not many towns have their own designated marching xylophone player, and that is just one thing that makes Hobbytown unique. Flander played marching xylophone in the Hobbytown High School marching band. After winning awards and being recognized internationally as a virtuoso marching xylophone player, Flander graduated high school and took over the family business, the DIY Shop.
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Satch Fry, of course, started up the Ham Radio Operators (HRO) club at the DIY Shop a few years ago, and that's how he got to know Flander, and Flander him. She became a frequent guest at KSATCH Radio, letting the people of Hobbytown know what's happening with all the DIY clubs, and discounts at the DIY shop.
About a year ago, while Flander was talking about different clubs at the DIY Shop at KSATCH Radio, suddenly Satch Fry needed to interrupt for an important message. He frantically searched for a sound effect to announce a special bulletin, but couldn't find one. True to form, Flander reached in her handbag and pulled out her marching xylophone.
"What are you doing?" Satch asked, frantically.
Flander remained cool, calm, and collected when she matter-of-factly replied, "When you can't find the sound effect you're looking for, ...."
"DO IT YOURSELF!" Satch and Flander said it together, like a practiced mantra.
Flander raised her marching xylophone and waited for Satch's cue. Satch pulled himself together, and when he felt ready to report the bulletin, he looked at Rapsidy and nodded.
"Dtoon dtoon dtoon," rang out across the kitchens and living rooms of Hobbytown, and the whole town, clear to the Classic Roadhouse, just outside of town, grew silent.
The next voice that was heard was that of Satch Fry. "Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt this program to bring you this special bulletin of the utmost gravity." Satch had practiced saying "utmost gravity" because he liked how it sounded. He was not about to let an opportunity to say it live on air get away from him. He paused two seconds to let the gravity sink in. Then, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Polling Committee at Hobbytown Town Hall has announced the results of today's special election. With all votes counted, Sheriff Penny Samuels is Hobbytown's new mayor. "
Satch paused as a collective cheer could be heard all across the town of Hobbytown. "The exact vote tally, in case you need to know, was 99.4 percent for Penny Samuels, and 0.6% for Someone Else. Folks, Penny is our new mayor."
Satch turned to Flander Rapsidy, looked deep into her eyes and in all earnesty nodded his head.
Right on cue, "Dtoon dtoon dtoon" rang out again all over town.
The next morning, all over Hobbytown people were abuzz. They were happy about getting a new mayor, but that is not what they were most excited about. The headline on the Hobbytown Zenith - Hobbytown's only trusted newspaper - read as follows:
"A New Sound Comes To Hobbytown!" by Clem Samuels, Chief Editor
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"Everywhere you go today," Clem writes, "people are talking about the musical chimes they heard on KSATCH Radio yesterday evening when D.J. Satch Fry had a special bulletin to announce. Everybody knows his announcement was about my sister, Penny, winning the mayor's race. What few people know is about the heroism of Flander Rapsidy, who saved the day when Satch couldn't find special effects to introduce the bulletin. Without missing a beat, Flander Rapsidy chimed right in on her marching xylophone."
Before Flander Rapsidy could open up the DIY shop, little girls on their way to school gathered around her, asking for her autograph.
Satch Fry ran into the DIY shop just after Flander opened the door.
"Flander, you're a hit. You gotta come to the station every day now. Also Penny Samuels wants you to play at the swearing in ceremonies. This is huge, Flander!"
Flander remained pretty calm even with all the ruckus going on around her. In the afternoon she went to the Town Hall. Someone told her to get up on the stage with Penny and Clem Samuels. She did. And after Clem swore in his sister as mayor of Hobbytown, he stepped aside so Penny could approach the podium to give a speech. Penny gathered herself, and when she was ready she turned to give a nod to Flander Rapsidy.
"Dtoon dtoon dtoon,"
"Thank you everybody." Penny began, "Thank you, Flander. As your new mayor I'm going to make some changes around here. And we're going to start by getting a new plaque for the city hall."
"Dtoon dtoon dtoon,"
Can you believe that was the whole speech?
