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Last weekend was a convergence of fact versus fake. Our university town was flooded with visitors attending the annual True/False Film Festival, and the Columbia Art League simultaneously presented its “Truth?” exhibition. Fearlessly entering the fray of this communal examination of reality, the intrepid BRC founder submitted his “Cadmus` Dragon” banjo to the juried art show. Amidst 80 works accepted in the competition, his 5-stringer was serendipitously hung in the gallery adjacent to his wife’s “Climate Change” oil painting as pictured below.

In Greek mythology, Cadmus was a dragon slayer who harvested the teeth of these fire-breathing monsters to plant them, and from these seedlings grew fierce warriors. So, what’s not to believe about this story?

Seeking respite from the study of fact versus fiction, local Bluegrass musicians clustered together at a nearby yogurt shop to jam on the eve of what proved to be a surprisingly bitter late winter storm that fell upon the Show-Me state with icy snow and sub zero temperatures- a grim realty check for all.

Not easily apparent in the group photo, the BRC founder is holding a small birthday cake made of a brownie festooned with Gummi worm candy which was warmly presented to him in a plastic cup by his fellow musicians. Truth be told, he has played the banjo now for 59 years and should be a better picker than he is- after all this time.

The local community art league opened its 2019 exhibition season with a competitive show entitled “Gluttony” as its theme. How does a banjo builder address this visceral subject when the available canvas is a 2 x 26 inch fretboard and peg head? Decades ago when the BRC founder and spouse lived in the Sunshine State, backwoods Floridian restauranteurs would speak fondly of “cooter” soup.  A nickname for turtle, these dishes were a delicacy in colonial times, and canned terrapin meat for stew or soup is still available online for those who have cultivated a palate for this historical entree.

Traditional cookbooks in the southeastern US still offer such recipes for the adventurous chef. Accordingly, the BRC workshop fashioned a banjo entitled “Soup de Jour” emblazoned with mother of pearl cooters on the peg head which were presumably destined for the  serving dish.

The fretboard featured terrapins swimming to and fro-  perhaps hoping to evade the stewpot?

A 16 inch snowfall postponed the exhibit`s opening reception, and the rescheduled gala was cancelled because of a subsequent wind-whipped winter storm with bitter temperatures. By happenstance, the gallery had its annual fund-raising  “Let Them Eat Art”  food fest showcasing local chefs at the end of the month. What overly indulgent event could serve more ideally as an occasion for the “Gluttony”  exhibits`s overdue awards ceremony? Eager patrons, albeit weary of winter, hungrily gathered at the festive culinary benefit and puzzled over the unlikely 5-string entry that was stationed among watercolor and oil paintings depicting a gustatory array of edibles. Turtle soup was not among the gourmet cuisine offered to the guests.

With his son on bass, the BRC founder avoided the risk of overindulgence on the banjo by setting down his 5 stringer and playing a rollicking harmonica tune on the blues harp at a recent Farmer`s Market. Tips were donated to the Children’s Hospital.