Thanks for the tip..

Yes, Thanks for the TIP

Last night I was at a gig in a familiar place where my son and many local musician play frequently. It is sort of a mainstay for them as they make their livings playing and singing their original music.

It was a really cool night especially for a performance on a deck over the water. This particular place has thick clear plastic drapes that they roll down during the winter months to block the cold wind and they have large heaters warming the enclosed area of the deck where the music takes place.

There was a birthday party for one of my son’s friends at a large table just to my left. Other customers were dispersed around the room, some I have seen many times yet others I had never seen before. At this point it was warm and cozy and enjoyable as we enjoyed our food and the music.

A couple of Eric’s friends from school who we have kept in touch with and remained friends with all of these years, came over for brief visits with me as we listened to him sing. It was in some ways like a mini reunion of people from the parkway.

After a while this couple came in that looked a good bit older than the crowd (not older than me of course, but older than the others). They sat at the table just behind me. The lady sat so close behind me that I could smell her cologne (it was White Diamonds) and I could even feel her breathe near my left arm. Within a few minutes I slowly scooted my chair a little to give myself a little more space.

Then this same lady began to call out requests, “Play Piano Man!”...”Why don’t ya play Piano Man”. Eric said he was sorry but that was not a song he knew. That answer was not acceptable to her at all. “Why not?” she asked, “Why don’t you know Piano Man?”

He replied “That is a very good song, but I play mostly my own original music and a few cover songs, Sorry, that is not one I have ever played.”

This lady then said softer ....”Loser”. This word got my attention, but there was no point in getting angry at her. I feel like something must have happened to her that left her an angry person. Or perhaps it was her nature to be mean. Either way, I did not know her so it did not matter. The gentleman she was with seemed quite nice. 

He tried to calm her numerous times during the evening. This man was very tall and looked like someone who was probably strong and powerful in his youth; yet now he walked with a cane due to a severe vision loss. The woman said  several times, “he is going blind”, “he has a disease that will cause him to wake up one morning...SOON and be totally blind”, “But right now he can see a little bit.” It appeared she was talking to everyone in the room about his condition as he walked toward the restrooms inside.

A few hours passed and the loud lady began to yell out requests again, immediately followed by “Oh, that’s right, you DON’T know it!” To me it seemed that the more she drank the louder she got. The gentleman with her  then said, “I like this guy, he has talent, leave him alone!” A few minutes passed and the man then said, “Here give him this tip!” She said “Tip! Why should I tip him, he can’t play any of my requests”. He replied, “you are not tipping him, I am. Now do it, do it now!”

She took the $5 and walked up to Eric, as she bent to drop the money in his open guitar case, she said, “I am giving this to you begrudgingly”.

Eric had mentioned earlier when he played one of my favorite songs that I was his mother, as he pointed me out. So she knew I was his mother, yet had no problem saying unkind things so near me.

She stood as they were preparing to leave, and as she was now standing right next to me; she leaned over and whispered, “you are doing the right thing to PUSH your son to keep TRYING, if he keeps trying he will learn to play guitar and sing. Then maybe you could somehow get him up to Nashville where the REAL music is.” I nodded but did not say anything.

I appreciate her letting me know that I am “doing the right thing” as I am “Pushing my son to keep trying to learn to play and sing”... 

Her words were my helpful “TIP” and she gave them to me. My tip was not given begrudgingly or at least she did not verbally designate that.

I don’t know if this couple were man and wife, girlfriend and boyfriend or just friends but I don’t need to know. I do know that he was pleasant and kind; she was filled with angst and anger which she loved to spread around. I wish them well and I hope his vision improves mightily. People fascinate me every single day. My grandmother always told me "It takes all kinds to make a world"; she usually said that when she met someone unpleasant. I feel that I met a couple that was unique last night; probably very good people out for some fun on a cold night. I agree with grandma, "it takes all kinds to make a world."