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Midnight Organ Recital
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This story came to mind when I was thinking what a small world we live in. Chris and I with our 3 girls were visiting in the UK back in the early 1970's and on this particular day Chris's girl friend's husband asked if I would like to visit the Elstree Studios at Borehamwood, Hertfordshire where many of the TV shows of that era were being produced including many of the US shows. While being given a tour of the premises and seeing various sets used by the shows, I was introduced to a ham radio operator ( his name and call escapes me at the moment , Senior moment I guess) who was in charge of certain operations at Elstree. He asked me if I knew Al, VE3AL (SK now) from Ontario. I replied that I knew him very well, that my wife Chris, had kicked Al, Newt Bryer VE3HF (SK) and myself out of the house one morning at 3.00 a.m. for making so much noise that it woke up our 3 girls all under 5 year of age at the time. Why were we in our kitchen having a few brews at that time in the morning ? Al, VE3AL was on his way home earlier in the day and as he arrived in North Bay he decided to do a little visiting. It was sometime in the evening when Al mentioned that he had heard there was a really nice Pipe Organ in a certain church in North Bay and wondered if there was any way that he could try it out. I made a few phone calls and discovered that Newt VE3HF knew the caretaker at that church and thought he could arrange something for Al. Apparently there were certain activities taking place at the church that evening , but we could go in at midnight, if that would be suitable. At midnight, we arrived at the church, do not recall who all was there and Al proceeded to examine the Pipe Organ and shortly thereafter started to play. He kept playing for 2 hours or so with many wonderful selections and was right in his glory at the keyboard. Apparently Al, VE3AL had worked at Elstree Studios in the UK for some time and was known to all the staff there. Small world, huh ?
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