I usually think of cool stuff to write here when I'm out walking the dog. By the time I get back home, I almost never do the writing. I've had so many other moments of inspiration since. I do whatever thing occupying my mind when I get home- as the gate's bells ring behind me.

Tonight I thought about my friend's request. Then I remembered it later, laptop in hand. So here it goes...

My friend J.B. had a great job at this fluffy new community theater. I don't remember his official title, but part of his responsibility involved design and production of stage sets for the gigs. He hired me to work on several of those sets.

Often we worked late hours- it's fun to keep working when the creative flow's strong. Hanging around that brand new two theater venue (with a deluxe set building space) alone in the wee hours was great fun!

In this case, we were working on the set for a Harold Pinter play called "The Caretaker". This set was being assembled for the small theater. I was doing these big paintings that were supposed to look like they'd be done by a crazy person. What a fabulous fun thing to do and get paid too! I got to keep my favorite one after the show was over- Yay!

In the big theater another thing was happening. A travelled straight from Japan to California Traditional Japanese percussion group was due to play the next night. Earlier in the day, before I arrived to work on the Caretaker stuff, this group set up their gear and rehearsed. JB was there on duty.

When we were the only folks in the building and the doors were locked he said something like "You got to check this out!". I felt like I was being guided by the phantom of the opera through the dark building. He slipped a key in the lock and we entered the big theater.

I waited by the door as he headed to the stage and manned the stage lights, turning them up to a gentle glow. This revealed the stage, which was filled with these really cool instruments! WOW is all I can say. I can't imagine what bringing all that stuff from Japan must have been like. JB encouraged me to pick up the mallets and check a few out.

The sounds that came out of them were magical! Each one so powerful- and the reverberation in the room- it was so fun!

My eyes fell on a huge wooded stand- I bet 7 feet tall or so. Hanging from it was a round piece of metal, kind of like a gong- but not solid in the middle. Next to it was a huge mallet. JB told me to give it a ring. He knows I am a fan of ringing metal- even seen my bell collection at home. I always wore bells too.

I walked up to that metal thing, picked up the mallet, and gave it a tap.

At first there was no sound at all. Then a sort of humming sound came out. This humming got louder and sounded more like a ring- then it faded away. It was like a delayed reaction to my tap. JB told me to try again. Leaning forward toward the big metal thing I hit it a bit harder.

It started with the hum, and built up to a remarkable ring, then faded away. From what seemed to be silence it began to hum again- louder than the first time, and rang again more than before!
I hadn't touched it! The hum came back even louder again!

I was amazed at the way the sound was building up in these waves. I leaned forward to where my head was as close as I could get to the instrument. The ring was building up to its crescendo.

Suddenly this rush of euphoria started to pulse through my body starting in my head- down to my pelvis and back to my head. In waves this bliss rush took control of my whole body! The feeling rang like the metal sound. I had a whole body orgasm just listening- experiencing the sound waves! Actually, I dare to say, it was a multiple...