Saturday Outing

In a rare event I found myself invited to get out of the house on the weekend. I was to go meet She on the patio at a local pub. I arrived on time and chose a spot to sit, said hi to her and then I started thinking. The following is just my thoughts as they happened on that patio.

I'm on a patio and I find myself wondering about motivation. Specifically about people's motivations. There is a broad cross section of people here. Some gathering together to share some comradery, some just out for a good time. Some just taking their drunken horror show on the road. But here we find ourselves, at this crossroads, this gathering place, enjoying each other's company by default. The weather is so nice and the beer is cold, it's hard not to be in good humour. I've found myself segregated as I sit alone on the sidelines at one of those intimate tables for two that rarely get used, hence the availability. It affords me a great vantage point from which to watch the afternoon unfold. It is also close to She's workstation. She is here doing a tasting for her employers at Beau's. Carrying a tray of small glasses to the masses. Masses that have never heard of Beau's and are unlikely to stray from their Coor's Light. But this is the grassroots way to get your name out there. I sit here and watch her interact with half cut, boisterous patrons and can only wonder how she does it. I wouldn't be able to deal with those people at the best of times, let alone at times like this. Live music started happening. Second song: Wonderwall. Amazing, Rek would love this. A band at a bar playing all the hits! It's a decent rendition at least. Mostly emo songs played, really brought the energy down in the place. The majority of the songs were popular during my more formative years. The catalog hints at the age of the one man band member. Let's take pause to have a moment to wonder about his path that led him here. What choices did he make to get him this gig at a pub on a very hot Saturday. Was it a coup for the bar to land this middling talent? Or was it a dream fulfilled for him to have this opportunity. He is certainly committed to his craft. Looks the part of a rocker descending to 40. What motivates a man to share his talent with such a paltry gathering. I'm sure it's money, because fame isn't really on the table at this venue. He seems to be enjoying himself at least and I'm thankful for that. As the band plays, a hammered man begins to molest the inflatable tube man. His intoxicated friends are yelling encouragement and suggestions for acts he should perform on the lifeless tube of air. Videos are being taken. He had to be yelled at by the staff before he would stop. I am starting to notice the beginning of the crass and lewd comments bubbling to the surface like the effervescent bubbles in the cold beer. Lots of boisterous yelling and cursing, crude demands. But all in good fun in would seem, many laughs shared. Catcalls are answered with biting remarks and echoed by howling laughter. The ebb and flow of the crowd is almost rhythmic, not in time with the music which has an unfortunate effect of being annoying. Actually, beyond annoying, this behaviour is absolutely ruining the afternoon for the rest of us. I know there aren't kids in a bar but at the same time this does not excuse the use and proliferation of this language. What motivates people to behave in this manner. Do they not know any better? Do they not care? I'm confused, and still wondering about motivations. Nevertheless, here I am sitting quietly in the middle, a smile on my lips, just enjoying being allowed to participate in the public mayhem. Sitting in the sun on a chair I don't fully trust to relax into. It's not easy being a big dude, can't trust chairs, get winded on stairs. Pretty much equivalent to a pregnant woman I'm learning. But with no pay-off in the end, much the same as this afternoon.