Sunday, January 11, 2009

Me and Patsy Cline

It is Sunday afternoon and I am at my home computer which is a rarity but I need to snap out of this funk I am in. Very pissy and don't know why. It has been a nice weekend too cold and windy for me to go out and ride my bike like I wanted but oh well there will be other days. I haven't done anyhthing productive today and not sure if I will feeling the way I do. I think I am getting sick. My throat is hurting and I feel sore all over my body. My muscles ache. I sure hope it doesn't turn into the flu. That would be the worst.

My husband and I went out to the local bar on Friday night, which we never do and we had a very good time together. We got there early and played darts together for about an hour. I really enjoyed the time alone we had together which we never have. He is my best friend and just never spend a whole lot of free time doing nothing "together" just the two of us. So, it was refreshing.

We stayed later than I had anticipated and it didn't take long for the rum and cokes to kick in and before we knew it we were dancing the night away. I am not a very good dancer and it does take a few drinks to get me loose enough to be able to two-step comfortably. I was raised a Baptist so there were not any weddings or other affairs that included dancing in my life. I get rusty but lucky for me my husband loves to dance and never gives up on me.

It was karaoke night at the bar which is very interesting because to see these average people with the guts to get up there on that tiny stage and sing to their hearts content without reservations. That is so not me. I do love to sing but the kitchen is my stage. I sing to my kids silly songs made up from nothing and they laugh and we dance. My kids even do the same thing. Sing about nothing. I love it. Of course Jeff is my greatest fan and thinks I have a voice of an angel. cough cough. I know otherwise but that's ok . HE loves me. Back to my point. The courage it takes to sing in front of 50 strangers or more to me is something I have never had. Not even liquid courage.

I love to people watch so sitting in the bar next to a speaker with music blaring is the perfect place for doing that. Conversation is no longer an option as I am already hard of hearing and can not hear a thing or read lips with music that loud. So I watch people. I had noticed this couple come in and right away knew they were not from my lil country town. Dressed to the nines and just had a "big city" uptown look to them. She was so beautiful. Very old Hollywood with her short bleach blond hair done up with finger waves and pin curls. Her skin was very pale and lips bright red. She looked like a flapper from days gone by. I soon lost them in the crowd of people and my train of thought went other places.

The next thing I know "she" was tapping me on the shoulder asking if they could sit with us. I said of course and they did. Jeff and I carried on with our evening keeping to ourselves , dancing and drinking. After about 30 minutes another tap on the shoulder and "she" wanted to know if I would sing karaoke with her. Are you kidding me? Not me! I do not karaoke. So I explained and they did not care. They were relentless about it and telling me how she was this fabulous singer and just wanted company and blah blah blah. SO I agreed, I told her you pick the song and I will do it. So she picks Patsy Cline "Walking after Midnight." No prob,right? It's an easy song that doesn't go all diva on you. She submitted our request and I sat nervously for the next 20 minutes knowing our names would be called. It was called...

We go up there, got our mikes, and the music is started. I know this song ,happen to have it on my playlist at work so I hear it at least once a day. I was golden. She could sing and I wouldn't look like a fool. The first words light up on the screen and I start singing but she isn't.I was there and it was just me and Patsy Cline crooning to the sing. "She" doesn't know the SONG! I am up there continuing to sing and she does join in but I can tell she is following my lead. I could have whacked that lil petite Marilyn look-a-like off the stage by that time. I had been bamboozled. I am singing in public thanks to her and her "oh she can sing" husband. Thank God the song isn't long. We finished and as the music stopped my knees were knocking so hard I just knew they could be heard over the mike. I hurried to my chair to Jeff who is all smiles sat down and was relieved it was over. I sat there wondering quietly what it sounded like. You can not hear anything when you are up , nothing. It is so loud and the nerves I so probably sucked. I will never know,Jeff will say I was great no matter what. It was not a minute or two that I looked around and our guests from days gone by were gone.

Where had they gone? Was she even real? I truly was questioning what had just happened and for what reason it had. It was a cool experience and I can now sayI have sung karakoke. Will I ever do it again? I don't think so, but who knows stranger things have happened.

I guess I am not feeling as cruddy as I was when I started this thing. Not near as irritable and I think I can try to enjoy the rest of my day.