A Different Drummer ( A Fable )

There was once a little Native American boy name Chip. Actually his Indian name was Drum with a Sad Beat but as he was just like his father, who was Chippewa, his friends nicknamed him Chip because he was a Chippewa off the old block.
     Anyway, Chip was in the village Indian drum group – he played lead drum but he wanted something more. He was tired of the same old traditional look (besides the feather look is not for everyone). He was tired of the same old beat; the battle boogie was getting old. He wasn’t sure what it was he was looking for but he knew it wasn’t what he had come to know all his life.
     One day Chip hit upon an idea. He decided to dress up his drum to reflect his own personality. He took some shells (Sally was selling them by the seashore), a few rhinestones, some deer antlers, a couple of well placed hydraulic lifts and before you could say pnuemonoultramicroscopicsilicovovolanoconosis he had the world’s first low rider Indian drum.
     He took his drum to the medicine man, to ask his advice and get his blessing. The medicine man, who’s name was Xavier Cugat, always liked Chip and his drumming but warned the youth of the dangers of presenting new ideas. He said people feel comfortable with the status quo and often he who tries to upset the apple cart often ends up with egg on his face or shoved up where the sun don’t shine. Change is inevitable said Xavier, but try to get a quarter back from the bartender and see what happens. That particular bit of native wisdom eluded Chip but he received Xavier’s blessing and went to present his new drum to the boys in the band.
     Some of the other band members liked the change in Chip’s drum while others did not. There was even talk of running the gauntlet or scalping but this was soon forgotten as Chip was the lead drum there was little that could be done.
     Eventually, other members of the band transformed their drums into low riders also. Chip changed his name to Desi Arnaz and the rest is history…
Moral: Listen to your own beat as long as it is not the sound of your head pounding against the wall.