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Bonzonians ahoy!

Friday, 12 January 2007

On a flea market I once bought a box with letters and other personal papers, that once belonged to a man who was the drummer in a band that played on a ship of The Holland America Line. This was in the 50’s and early 60’s. There were no tapes in the box, but I did find a play list, some sheet music and a pile of flyers of the band: The Bonzonians.
The letters turned out to be most interesting. The man was member of an esoteric organisation and corresponded with one of the leaders of this organisation about Life’s Big Questions. But most of the letters were from women, with whom he had a short affaire during the boat trips. From the image I get from the letters, that these women wrote after the affaire was ended (it was clear for both parties that this was just a one month stand), he was a sensitive, honest and nice guy. The women tell him how much they liked him, the sex and the life on the boat. Some even sent him pictures of their husband and children.
That stuff like this can be found on the street fascinates me to no end. But I am not only a collector, I also like to do something with the things I find. This box deserves at least a musical. I have never written a musical, but it is on my list of things-to-do-before-I-die.