The ladies’ guild of Saint Stan’s Polish church was planning their summer picnic. What better way to fill the air than live accordion music? Seek and ye shall find! I was booked (and ‘cooked’) that hot, humid day, given no shelter at the local park. To keep their cool, my fans used theirs and ‘made waves’. ‘Not an option for the accordionist…. I didn’t have a free hand. ‘And when you’re hot, you’re hot!‘Too hot to trot!
However, aware of the weather forecast, I had ‘pre-meditated’! Theme oriented, I ‘covered’ myself with my Polish repertoire and, “for a change”, dress down attire! True to the flag colors of the audience’s native land, I wore a red wrap-around skirt, white blouse and my red treble clef earrings. Here comes Treble!
The summer sun ‘beat’ relentlessly to the tempo of “Just Another Polka”. The crowd, the breeze and I were hot – in more ways than one. I was offered a cold drink. “Do you need anything else?” asked Fran, the ladies’ guild president. Making an executive decision, I replied, “Yes, I need your help. Can you hold something for me?” “Sure, what?”, she questioned. Little did Fran know of the strings attached, lost cord, and bad wrap.
Picture this…..I untied the bow from my wrap-around skirt, handing my waistband cord to Fran, who inquired, “What should I do?” ”Just stand there and hold this. I’ll do the rest!”At that very moment, a gentleman in khaki pants and short sleeved shirt walked by. I had an “aha” moment…an action film! I had to work fast.
Handing my camera to him, I asked… ”Could you please take a picture for me? I’m gonna strip!” In obvious disbelief, the man’s instant reaction…“You’re gonna’ WHAT?!?” He either didn’t hear me, or couldn’t believe his ears. I repeated the phrase in crescendo for a grand finale…..The man graciously agreed to honor my request, pronto!
Take two… A candid caper was about to be captured on camera. As the gentleman and I were conversing by the snack bar, there were the guys cooking lunch for the ladies. One of the cooks overhearing my proposal, leaned over the counter and whispered, “That’s Father Nadolny!” Oh no! ‘A man of the cloth! ‘Immaterial’ in this case, as Father Ed was cool, calm, collected, and cooperative – ready to ‘shoot’ the scene I was about to make, unaware of what I was about to “pull off”!
In this respect, Fran was in the dark as well. With ‘strings attached”, she stood nearby as I began to plunk out “The Stripper” on my accordion. I proceeded to revolve in a circular motion, my wrap-a-round skirt gradually unraveling to the big reveal….My red and white striped, knee length shorts (Polish underwear)! Given previews of coming attractions, Father Ed stayed focused the entire time, taking time-released photos! The crowd bellowed as I continued “skirting the issue”!
