It was on one weekend night, during Mari Gras season. I was rather congested, as though a nasal cold had taken hold. I tried some decongestant but that didn't seem to be working.

I met up with two other friends. We were all going to head down to play on the street in the Pioneer Square area of Seattle.

One suggested that I try some whiskey to loosen up the congestion. She said that it worked for her.

I drank some whiskey once, only one other time. It didn't agree with me. Rather, it made me say things, that I wouldn't normally say. It was as though my thoughts tumbled forth uncensored from my lips. That can get a guy in trouble. So, I stayed away from the stuff.

However, the level of discomfort that I was feeling from the congestion caused me to change my mind and try some. I knew that mixing the over the counter meds and booze might not be a wise thing to do but I needed to be ready to play that evening. I was willing try anything that might help.

I went to unload my gear from my car. We were all going to ride together in my friend's van. I set my guitar down next to one side of my car. Then, I went around to the other side to get my washboard. Because the washboard was rather weighty, with all of my additions to it, I loaded it into the van, around the corner, first and then, promptly forgot about my guitar.

We drove off to pick up a couple of other players on the other side of town. Half way there, I remembered my guitar and pleaded with the driver to turn around but she was intent on picking up the others first, before turning back. By the time we got back, my guitar was gone.

I'm guessing that the combination of the congestion, the meds and the whiskey probably contributed to my general lack memory that evening. The really sad news is, that the congestion didn't end up being a routine head cold.

I found out a couple of weeks later, after a visit to a doctor, that I had a sinus infection. It was nothing that the meds or the whiskey could have helped. He offered me some antibotics to clear it up.

So, had I known that what was ailing me was an infection, instead of a simple head cold, I wouldn't have taken the meds or the whiskey and perhaps I would have had the presence of mind to not forget my guitar sitting beside my car. I might be playing it today.

It was a sweet sounding resonator that I had put together. I used the remnants of an old Regal from the 30s and mounted them in a new Regal body.

I postered the area, hoping to find the person who took it and hoping they would be willing to do the right thing and return my guitar to me. Being a street performer left me with little money to offer for a reward. I received only one phone call in response. The person on the phone claimed to have it and wanted to hold it for ransome. Their last words were, "It'll make good firewood."

I've never recovered it. It may have simply been a crank call. I don't know.