Tammy Has Grandkids!

I feel like a broken record going on and on about weekly occurances at the Mustard Seed, but so many neat things are starting to happen as walls come down and people start opening up to me. I took a brand new karaoke machine over on Monday afternoon, and Helen gave me a big hug - it was a lot of excitement with the karaoke crowd that they were going to be able to ditch the old, run down machine. The afternoon crowd had a different vibe - people coming and going, sorting clothes on the tables, sipping on coffee. It was nice and casual. And of course who would I run into but Sheldon, first looking at me like, "What are you doing here?", and then saying in his slow sarcastic way, "I saw what you brought in." He does not enjoy karaoke night. I told him I'd bring him some extra donuts to make up for it.

When I arrived on Tuesday, Nathan and Mel were setting up the new machine, and it worked perfectly. No skipping disks, no issues, but most of the great karaoke regulars (Amos, Clayton, Gary) didn't come last night - maybe because they thought there would be no karaoke? The music was good last night, lots of different people, great renditions of songs....I was so glad to be able to contribute! Even when Helen called me up on the mike, although I was embarrassed to be recognized openly, it was so nice to be thanked and cheered for, just for that small gesture. Georgie then came over to the coffee bar to thank me personally - it was worth it to hear her sing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" in her crazy way!

But the highlight of the night had to be when Tammy (the women that it took me months to get a smile out of) started telling me about her new grandson, and that she had three grandkids now! For one thing, she looks way too young to be a grandma, but I was just thrilled that she decided to share that with me!

I've never thought of myself as a "people person" - I like to be alone most of the time, but when I do interact with people (on my own terms), whether it's with clients, out in public, or at The Mustard Seed, I really enjoy myself. Maybe as I'm getting older I'm appreciating human interaction a bit more....who knows.

But my thoughts of becoming a staff member came to a grinding halt last night as the staff filled up buckets with bleach to clean a urinal which someone decided to use as a toilet. There is some truth to the inner city that I don't often see because we are in a safe place where people are sober, and I am just a volunteer who hangs out and serves coffee. I wonder if my posts would be so full of optimism and hope if I went and hung out at George Spady for a day, where all people are welcome, drunk, high or sober.....