Magpie Tales Week 5 (click here to link to Magpie and read others)

Each week on Friday, Willow graciously posts  a photo prompt to which we respond with a tale, an ode, a line or two or whatever creative idea  comes from the prompt.  Clicking on the title to this post will take you to Magpie central where you can choose from many other  takes on the  prompt of the week.  This is the 5th week and here we go....

Ned strummed his guitar, tuned the harmonica and began to sing softly to himself sitting on a barstool at the corner of the stage, tuning up for the Saturday night crowd, “.. Put your Hand in the hand of the man who stilled the waters, put your hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea, take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently by puttin’ your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee….” Ned wouldn’t be singing that song tonight but he was getting ready for the regulars; playing at the bar was just another way to earn spare change working his way through medical school.

The unshaven but neatly dressed older man who’d been sitting at the bar since Ned arrived, shook his head and tottered off his bar stool staggering back to the men’s room. “Unsteady on your feet there, John” called the bartender after him, “Maybe time to call it a day, guy.” Ned shrugged his shoulders toward the bartender thinking “just another one in hard times, drinkin’ himself silly …” Soon John came out of the men’s room, returned to his seat, drawing a $20 bill from his pocket and slapping it down onto the bar he said, “another one for me and give that sorry singer whatever he’s drinking too, sounds like his throat is parched. Do him good to loosen his vocal chords…… “ The bartender poured a draft for John and signaled to Ned that he had a drink coming… but Ned signaled back to pocket the coins for later, and continued to warm up his vocals, “hands across the waters, hands across the sea,……wheedto.. …turn around put your feet back on the ground…..”

John tottered back off the stool and approached Ned, “Sounds like you need a hand Sonny; I always figured the best place to find one was at the end of your arm…., but let me show you something…” John sat down at the piano and began to finger the keys then broke into playing the meanest boogie woogie Ned had ever heard! John smiled at Ned and said, “Now that’s how you do it Sonny! That’s what folks who come in here will want to hear…..’member that…that’s what to do with hands, keep those fingers moving….” “Ahh John, get away from the stage,” called the bartender, “Ned will do all right ‘sides he’s gonna be a doctor someday…won’t need your advice!” Ned continued his warm up…”I wantta hold your haaand… wannta hold your hannnd…” “Son didn’t you listen, nobody wants to hear songs ‘bout hands..” John called.  Ned noticed the first  couples arriving and started strumming and singing "c'mon all now gather 'round,  Listen to what I'm putting down. Whoo baby, I'm your handyman. I'm not the kind to use a pencil or rule....."  John shook his head, waved to the singer and  headed out the door; work to do back home, he'd just stopped in to quench his thirst. 

Flash forward 10 years to the world renowned Mayo clinic where Dr. Ned’s a famous orthopedic surgeon, specializing in hands.  Patients come from all over the world for his expertise. Ned reviewed his schedule for the day… two minor surgeries this morning, but one that would take most of the afternoon….a farmer had nearly severed his hand in a tractor accident. The farmer’s family was gathered in his room and Ned would reassure them of the wonders that could be done; he picked up the model wooden hand, the mock prosthesis from the shelf to explain this and walked into the farmers’ room . “Good morning doctor “chorused the family gathered around the patient. The patient, arose in the bed, “Well damned if it ain’t the guy who sings about hands…. You gonna be able to keep my fingers movin’?” “I really believe so, John, yes sir I do” Ned smiled from ear to ear!