Before You Beat That African Djembe Read This

We're reliably informed by the New York Times that a New Hampshire woman managed to get herself a severe case of gastrointestinal anthrax (you know, that nasty critter that's been around since forever minding its own business until someone decided to make a career out of mailing it to post offices).....where was I?

Oh, yes. Now I remember. It seems that the woman was among sixty or so like minded folks who attended a 'community drumming circle', whatever that is, in Durham at the United Campus Ministry. I did a little recon, as you might say, and I discovered that among its other activities the UCM-Durham sponsors a monthly Drum Circle and Free Pasta Supper the first Friday of each month.

It is supposed that the enthusiastic whacking of the hides on their Authentic African Djembes dislodged anthrax spores which were inhaled or ingested-perhaps in the Free Pasta-by the victim in this case-assuming that the Free Pasta came after the Drum Circle. The possibilities are endless and the implications are troubling.

It seems that this drum circle thing is bigger than I thought, if the usually reliable source is to be believed. I do not know if the master himself, Chick Webb, would have identified with this drum circle business.