For years I have joked that here in the fair mother city, the standard greeting to a new person is “hi, what’s your name?” followed by “what church do you go to?”
I was maybe half joking. But it’s very possible to be asked the church question somewhere in conversation.
The other night I had a stellar gig for my solo instrumental act. One of the local museums had their annual fund-raiser. There were literally hundreds of people there. Yep. Hundreds of the hoity-est toity-est people in the fair mother city forced to listen to either my act and/or the jazz combo made up of former professors and various acquaintances of mine in the other room.
This was just what I needed to come out from my five-year self imposed exile on the music scene. A huge answer to prayer (thank you CEO). If I don’t score some serious paying dinner party type gigs out of this then there's something wrong with all of us.
Anyway, like everyone else, us musicians got access to the full catered meal AND the two, count them, TWO open bars. This is where I learned that I probably shouldn’t drink too much early in my set. I was playing fairly loosy-goosy, but they liked it anyway.
All four of us musicians sat at a table together and about three others joined us: some rich, elderly guy with a yankee accent, his wife who was half his age and looked like Geddy Lee from Rush’s early days, and a sharp-looking guy with a shaved head who loved jazz. And scotch. At least I assumed so since he had like four glasses with him.
I asked the jazz and scotch lover how long he had been in the fair mother city. He said six weeks. “Wow”, I said. “What brought you here?” He really didn’t look like someone who planned to blend in with the locals.
He said he was some kind of real estate developer and saw some good opportunities here. Right on, I said. Develop something with good live music. I’m in. He laughed.
Then one of the other musicians, a minister by day, asked him, “so what church do you go to?”
I couldn’t believe it! I mean, I don’t think it’s wrong or incorrect to ask that question, I suppose. I just thought I had made that question up as a gag. I guess it's real.
The jazz lover gave a very diplomatic response, “No where. Got any good suggestions?”
Nice.
*photo by businessweek
6 comments:
Clyde is just as bad. It seems like if our identity comes from our churches. When I tell people I go to KLF, they get a look on their face. We're the "crazy" church here. It's almost as bad as when I tell them I'm mexican.
My current answer:
"I watch church on TV."
Also, was that Saturday night? I was walking downtown after dinner & noticed such a party. Looked like a good one.
" When I tell people I go to KLF, they get a look on their face. We're the "crazy" church here."
Yeah, so...your point IS??
(insert semi-sarcastic winky face here)
"Also, was that Saturday night?"
Yes. It was a good. party. Not necessarily my kind of party or social scene. But I love playing my act in this kind of environment.
Good to hear from you.
Well, I am certainly glad that you got the opportunity to play, and I really hope that you get more in the future.
The church question thing puzzles me: I could understand asking it if someone said "I am really involved in my church." , but to pop that question out of the blue is just weird.
could spark a long debate
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