Two Guys From Portugal Walk Into A Bar

Mrguy had two gigs this month at Kisses, a bar in The City. He reminded me after the second of them about some guys we'd met during the first...

The first gig was on the first, actually. The guys asked me to play uke and sing some harmonies on a song. As I stepped on the stage, I vaguely remember hearing someone yell "Nice hair!"

The sprout inspires all kinds. Anyway...

After the song was over, I went back to my barstool and was greeted by a young guy who asked me if I knew where my instrument came from. I started to tell him that I bought it in New York. He interrupted me to say that he wanted to know if I knew the *history* of the ukulele. I said yes, that it was inspired by the Cavaquino. No, he said, it was inspired by the Braguinha, from Portugal, and that he was from Braga and he wanted me to know that. I started to tell him what I knew about the three cabinetmakers from Portugal who sailed to Hawaii in the late 1800's, but he wasn't really interested in hearing about that and repeated "Braguinha. From Portugal. You should know".

Great. Enjoy the rest of the show.

It was a little harder than usual to make our escape that night. First I needed to listen to a pitch by the cross-eyed videographer who had been recording that evening. Then my new friend came outside. I'd already told mrguy about him. He started to tell mrguy the same thing about the ukulele and mrguy gave it his best polite reaction. Then another guy came out. His voice was like a Portuguese version of the Wild And Crazy Guys.

Guy 2: "Nice hair"
Guy 1: "She's married"
Guy 2, in drawling, deadpan Boris Badenoff voice: "Congradyoulations"

He was later heard asking why the streets were empty and where "the bitches" were.

Congradyoulations.