‘Unique’ instrument is stolen from baggage claim at Chicago’s O’Hare airport
mainA Canadian musician, “Mysticssippi” blues man Harry Manx, is appealing for the return of his precious instrument, a cross between a guitar and a sitar. Harry flew into at O’Hare from Toronto on Friday morning to play in Wisconsin. But the black fibreglass case was not there when he reached Terminal 2 baggage claim at 10:47 a.m. Harry’s facebook appeal has received 75,000 shares, but no guitar – so far.
Harry writes:
Beloved friends, with a heavy heart I want to tell you all that this morning at Chicago Ohara airport, while I was on my way to retrieving my luggage, someone stole my beloved Mohan Veena (pictured to the left of me).
Security cameras showed a man pick it up and walk out. I’ve had that Veena more than 20years. There’s hardly been a day that I haven’t played it. I feel as though I’ve lost a good friend. I need everyone’s help to find it. If you know someone in Chicago, tell them about it. Maybe it will surface on Craigs list or E-bay. Maybe in a music store or Pawn shop. There’s no missing it. The Veena is in a Black Fibreglass Case with lots of stickers. And the Veena has 20 Strings, 2 layers of strings running parallel. It has tuning heads right down the neck. No other instrument looks like this. I’m grateful for any help. thanks Harry
Mr.Manx, I am so very sorry to hear of your tremendous heart wrenching loss. I wish there was some way, any way I could help but my long ago Musician Colleagues have all moved away from Chicagoland and are all either now in Italia, have been lost forever to AIDS, either already passed and I have never been informed since I left the biz 20 years ago, or they are “MIA”and/or otherwise lost to me. I don’t even know if my Northern California-Mexico City-Minnesota Classical, Opera, Jazz and General Jack of All Trades Bass Viol connection is still alive since some years ago he contacted me and informed me that he had just had triple by pass and was on the mend. I do however feel with you, as my late father’s violin, which was to have been passed down to me at the proper time, was stolen when on approved loan to a student who mindlessly left it at the coat rack in the lobby to the campus cafeteria that she frequented. This was years ago, and Dad’s heart was devastated and he said he knew that that was that, that he would never see his precious instrument again. I’ve also had a former roommate whose “cello” was stolen and the alleged culprit tried to sell “his” “cello” at the local International Violin Shop in a overgrown cow town far away in The USA that was not very close to Chicagoland. Although not that far either as the crow flies but more n’ likely not a direct part of the gangland style ring of the early 80s. Anyways, I digress. “Shimon” (not his real name) calmly told the young man that “OK, it’s a deal, I’ll be right back to let my supervisor know”….went back to inform “Mr. Weston Harry” (not his real name either) that they had a hot one, called the local PD and the VIOL de GAMBA with the rightful owner’s name inscribed right on the instrument, but hidden in plain sight, and you know what I mean by that, was returned to it’s rightful owner so all’s well that end’s well. Or Almost.They let the perp go scot free because, he was, get this, under aged, though in all likelihood gang-related, perhaps, say, an initiate out on assignment to test his “worth”. Which we all know is absolutely NOTHING!!! But his “Cello”???…that was rich. I could regale you with many other tales, some with a happy ending and satisfying resolution, or as good as we can expect in our corrupt and broken Judicial System. Some like my late Beloved father’s, which ended tragically for him, he indeed never again saw his instrument again, he never even told me the maker’s name. But some one out there knows the truth. Wherever that lovely old instrument is today.
That precious violin of my father’s may be in Shang-Hai for all we know, in the hands of the friendly underground secret society or in some poor slob’s attic, hidden away without his even knowing it. But please please please, whatever you do, please don’t lose all hope. Somewhere out there, somebody knows the truth. And miracles have been known to happen. In the meantime, I offer you my sincere condolences for your recent loss. Good Luck and God Bless.