Ha! I thought as I escaped with my prize. No one saw me pick up the gig bag and there was no one in the parking lot outside Turbo Mike’s Bar and Grille. I got into my beat up old washed out blue Ford Escort and drove home. I was thinking I could probably get maybe $50 to $100 for the bag’s contents. That harp player wasn’t that good anyway so now he has a good excuse to quit. Not a big score but it would help the wheels keep turning a little longer.

Stopped at a minute market for some cigs and lit one after getting back into the car. I blew out that first puff then reached over and unzipped the bag. Along with a mess of wires, there were 3 mics, all Shures, not top shelf but durable and reliable. In a long case were a dozen or so harmonicas, most of them Blues Harps, a Hohner industry standard. To buy that stuff new would run about $500 but the most I could hope for from a black marketeer would be maybe a fifth of that.

How do I know? Some time ago, when I was young and innocent, I was leaving a bar while the band was moving their equipment. They were all inside at the moment and I saw one of the guitar cases leaning against the trailer, out of sight of the doorway and the rest of the bar. I was in a fairly desperate state then, I barely had enough to buy a couple beers, so I gave in to the temptation and snatched it. Heavier than I anticipated but I walked it around the corner to my car and made a clean getaway.

Inside the form fit case was a 1958 gold top Les Paul, and though I didn’t know it at the time the antique guitar was worth a small fortune. I found that out when I took it to a friend of mine in Arkansas who collects guitars and he forked over $1500 without blinking. Just by the way, I found out later I got robbed, it was worth at least five times that amount then, astronomical today.

Well, anyways, I had found a new and lucrative career and I ran with it. You can make a pretty good living ripping off garage bands in the organized confusion that goes along with moving equipment. And the take is usually pretty good. Garage, basement amateurs usually throw money at their musicianship; they have regular jobs and more money than they know what to do with. So they often have expensive instruments they don’t have the wherewithal—skill or talent—to use. They don’t sound any better on a $4,000 bass than they would on the $150 special because they can’t really play the thing to begin with. All the better for me, the prizes have been good!

I took one of the harps out of the bag. It was a Marine Band Hohner and it had an “A” stamped to one side. I blew on it and liked the sound. I put it down in the car’s console and zipped up the bag. Actually got $150 for the bag and its contents when I sold it to a “friend.”

Not too long ago I finally got caught stealing a power stack. Probably should have passed on it but it was the only opportunity I had that night. I needed the money so I gave it a shot. The thing was on wheels and weighed about 150 pounds. Bet you could hear it rolling across the parking lot halfway down the street. Anyways, they threw me into county lockup where I languished for the better part of a year.

Thing is, I had that old harp with me, I used to blow on it from time to time. It relaxes me in a way. While I was in the can I began to practice on it. I got pretty damn good pretty quick. I amazed myself. One of the other inmates played guitar pretty good and we’d get some good jams going. We were a big hit with the other guys, they said we were “headhunters.”

Since then me and the guitar player have been quite successful doing local gigs. People leave our gigs raving about how ‘unbelievable’ we are. They can’t believe we get that much music out of a guitar and a harmonica. Frankly, it was a new experience for me, I was actually earning my living instead of stealing it. It has made me feel pretty good. There’s something to be said for deserving what you get in life—at least when you get good things.

It’s funny the things you remember.

So, here’s the thing. Me and the guitar player are here in New York City for a showcase performance. Showcase entry fee was $500. We’re sure to meet key people, agents, managers, promoters, who will take us to the next level. We’re scheduled to go on next but I’m afraid it’s not going to happen. We may or may not get this opportunity again, who knows?

Somebody stole my damn gig bag and no one else here plays harmonica.