Tochni, Cyprus, May 20, 2005

Published in the Journal, The Greek and Cypriot Notebook

Sign Entering a Cypriot Restaurant:
Enter to thy good fortune.
And may thy coming bless this house.

* * *

Today while Layne was drumming, I was concentrating on the beat, trying to learn how to hear the beat. At one point I finally got it and I was dancing from inside the beat when Layne stopped drumming and walked over to talk to a student about her drum. During the break the class relaxed and talked and did this and that, but I turned toward the wall and continued to tap out the rhythm with my foot, afraid I’d lose it if I stopped. And then, when Layne was ready, she walked to the front of the class, picked up her tambourine, paused, and then began directly on the beat. And I realized Layne wasn’t creating the beat, she was hearing it.