THE SHINY NEW WHISTLE

Doesn't the line, shiny new whistle, sound like a name for a child's book?

My Son Ryen, writes the American Whistle Factory in Columbus, OH is the only remaining metal whistle factory in the United States on my birthday card. The pea whistle, among other things, was part of my birthday gift.

Let's flash back to the mid seventies. Bud, my oldest son, was a kindergartner at Schwegler Elementary School in Lawrence, KS. I worked play ground duty at noon. The two of us would go to school, he would eat lunch and then all of us would go to the play ground. He would run off the excess energy and I, with my made in Japan-bought at a fine sports store downtown, would whistle to brake up mini fights and bullies. Actually, what I learned was if you blew a whistle, everyone stopped what they were doing.

After my days as a play ground supervisor were over, the whistle was attached to my key ring. When I would be on an elevator, people thought I had the whistle for safety!

That made-in-Japan whistle has transferred from one key ring to another over the last 30+ years. It is on the SUV ring. Now, I have a made-in-America whistle to put on the truck ring!

Let's think about whistles for a moment. Did you ever think about the pitch, except of course, a dog whistle? Did you ever think about who uses whistles beyond traffic cops and referees and life guards?

The whistle has its roots dating back to ancient China. Chinese night watchmen used to blow into the tops of acorns in order to alert the towns of invading Mongolians. In ancient Egypt two blades of the papyrus plant along the Nile river were held together in between the palms. By blowing into the palms the papyrus leaves would make a loud vibrant sound.

Ryen probably knew I would never master the acorn OR the blades of grass between my palms. Now, I need to get ready for the day and take the two whistles outside and see if they are the same octave!

Toot, Toot, to you!

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