Thursday Clap

When Will Fixit replaced our aged double glazing I asked him to fit casement windows in the bedroom as I much prefer them to the ‘open out at the bottom, gap at the top’ sort.  If I need to climb out of the bedroom window in an emergency I want all the room I can get.  There’s also the fact that Fester will inevitably bash his head on anything sticking out at any height.

Having casement window means that I do my Thursday clap from the first floor, 
a little like the Pope doing his Urbe et Orbi blessings from the Vatican balcony.   
I have an unrestricted view of the street, can see all my neighbours out and wave at them. 

During my first Clap I used a milk pan and ladle, like Miss Doozer next door.
Then I discovered some plastic whistles, one still in its unopened plastic bag.  

I popped that one through Miss Doozer’s letterbox and we got a sort of Samba Band effect at the next Clap.

When I shifted the spare bed downstairs for Ferrefingers’ recuperation I unearthed a number of treasures.  One was a wooden football style rattle, which he now uses during The Clap.  The other was this plastic three horned bugle.

As you can see it isn’t very big.

But my goodness it packs a punch.

As well as being VERY LOUD none of the horns are in tune with each other so it’s exceedingly discordant too.

I blew it out of the window at 8pm last Thursday night and I swear people at the end of the street jumped and looked around.

The cat in the bedroom next door was most put out.

Miss Doozer ceased her timpani on a cauldron for a moment to look up and yell 
“What in the name of all that’s unholy was that?”

It even brought her partner Doozer Esquire out to see who was molesting a flock of ducks.

The damn thing was so loud I couldn’t actually hear the Clap once I’d blown it.

I didn’t use it again until the very end of the Clap as a final flourish -

I wish I could remember where I got it.