I see the clock ticking towards 7:00. The kids are deep in their weekday world of homework, juggling soccer balls around the house, watching TV, but I am in my “got to rally” and get to the inn mode that happens very Thursday. Tonight I am tired. I’ll admit it, but tomorrow is Friday, and as I’ve said almost every Thursday night: “You can always get through a Friday,” and I will. I even got a rare nap in this afternoon after school. It is a bummer that I am missing Emma’s talent show performance on the ukelele singing the song (don’t know the name) she has been practicing for weeks. Time to rally the boys to help bring my sound equipment to the car…
… I’ll write later after the show. This feels so…dull…
and later…
But redemptive moments do come. Even after I got to the Inn last night, the energy was not there. The room was a disparate mix of groups intent on their conversations, not on the folksinger in front of them. I satisfied myself by singing some old songs that I knew would work in the background, and I didn’t even try to engage the crowd with any portion of my bag of tricks, stories, jokes, or cleverness. I just let it be, though I wished it were different.
Then Denise walked in with Emma and Margaret, and Emma had her new ukelele with her fresh from her talent show performance. I asked if she would come up and sing her song, and she did—and I have to say I was a proud papa, but no because of her playing or singing, but more because of how relaxed and friendly and good she was with the crowd—who of course now were all ears and hearts.
All it took was that little switch. From that point on, people listened, laughed, and another night at the inn went by, and I came home happy, refreshed, and thankful. Maroghini even came down and sang the best version of “Redemption” I have ever heard.
