The Day Sam's Club Stood Still

[RecoveringKinkoid]

This doesn't suck, nor is there anyone doing anything stupid. It was just...I dunno. Weird and amusing.

You know how when you go into a place, sometimes there are a few other customers that sort of follow your pattern and they kind of are around you most of the time you're in a store? One of them was an older dude shopping alone who had this weird little habit of whistling to himself.

Not just any tune, either. He sounded exactly like a theremin playing some eerie, circa 1950 style sci fi background music. In fact, first time I heard it, that's what I thought I was hearing. So I started calling him "Mister Theremin" in my head.

I was in there for about an hour and a half, and he did it the entire time.

So the "sci fi" backdrop kind of put a fun spin on an otherwise pretty boring shopping trip.

[MoonCat]

This site is really educational...I had no idea what a theremin is, so I looked it up.

Wonder what tune he was whistling?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I don't think it was a tune, it was just some kind of weird sliding scale.

You know that "Twilight Zone" thing people hum when they hear or see something weird? It was like that.

I would not know what a theremin was either, except that a friend of mine is a score writer who happens to be a little obsessed with theremins. I used to wonder what made that weird sound you hear in soundtracks.

[MoonCat]

Maybe his life was just so weird he felt it needed an appropriate soundtrack.

I know the feeling.

[FenigDurak]

I know what sound you're talking about. Beach Boys used theremins.
Anyway, if you whistle and hum simultaneously, you make that sound.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Maybe his life was just so weird he felt it needed an appropriate soundtrack.

I know the feeling.

HAAA! Really!

[evillebee]

I didn't know my FIL went shooping at Sam's today!! The man whistles all day everyday everywhere he goes.

[taurinejunkie]

I think I'm physically not able to whistle. most of my family members have tried to show me at one point or another, it never worked.

[dalesys]

... Beach Boys used theremins.

For good vibrations.


I remember the arguement our gang had when that song came out... "How the hell did they get THAT sound?"


Our concensus was Vise-Grips, strategically applied.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Seeing as how this is in the Brain Burp area...

When I read the OP, not knowing what a theremin is, I assumed the OP meant Thermian, the aliens in Galaxy Quest.

***

I just read this on the Wikipedia page about Qalaxy Quest.

The name "Thermians" was probably not a reference to Vulcans. In the screenplay, the alien planet was originally called "Theramin" instead of "Thermia," an homage to early sci-fi's use of the theremin to make eerie noises, as in Forbidden Planet.

[Andara Bledin]

I think I'm physically not able to whistle. most of my family members have tried to show me at one point or another, it never worked.

When I was younger, I couldn't, either. So I practiced my "eerie wind" noise, which is really just a very breathy sort of whistle, and then kept adjusting the way I pursed my lips until I was getting an actual whistle.

^-.-^

[Elspeth]

And I seem to be very strange. Can't whistle normal. I suck breathe in and can whistle that way. Works really well when you are trying to call the horses for dinner

[Dentarthurdent]

That sounds kinda fun. My job doesn't require much thought, so I'm always mentally trying to defend the store from zombie attack in the most efficient way possible - having a customer follow me making theremin noises would make it that much more awesome...

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

And "Klaatu barada nikto" to you, too!

[Imogene]

Maybe his life was just so weird he felt it needed an appropriate soundtrack.

I know the feeling.

I wish I had a theme song!