Went to a party Saturday night. It was a 4th of July party where everyone was encouraged to wear red, white, and blue – and everyone actually did. The buffet was real-food spectacular. I’ve been on this “plant-based” diet kick and was psyched that there were actually things I wanted to eat!
The party house happened to have two dining room tables, and with the buffet being on one of them, I decided to sit at the other which was empty save for a beautiful flower arrangement and some bottles of red wine. I stole an empty chair from along the wall, brought it to the empty table, and sat down to comfortably eat my dinner. As I looked around the room, everyone else was eating on their laps or standing up – most chatting with the person next to them.
Sitting at a table alone was totally ok with me as I had a lot on my mind, was feeling a bit tired from a busy day at the bra shop, and had a full-on Sunday and week ahead of me. A couple of people came to the table and put down their plates to manage a forkful here and there while standing and bantering. Their conversations were kind of taking place over my head – which was also totally ok with me – until Bryan came and suggested I scoot my butt forward so that he could share my seat.
I don’t know Bryan that well, but he is a good friend of mine’s brother and another good friend of mine’s boyfriend so he has some excellent reference. Once we both found our place on the seat, he broke the ice by asking me if I had heard any good songs that day. I harkened back to something an executive coach told me once…people ask questions because they really want to know. So, even though it wasn’t the typical manner in which someone usually starts a conversation with me, I told him that I did as a matter of fact hear some good songs that day. And then I found myself singing …”Sail on…honey…good times never felt so good…”
Lionel Ritchie, right?” he asked. “Yes!” I responded and added that I had also heard “In the Garden” by Van Morrison. He looked at me in surprise, “You heard THAT song today?”
“Yes!”
I didn’t get into this with him, but I’d been scrolling to track 5 on Van’s No Guru, No Method, No Teacher for three days straight now in my car
CD player in preparation for subbing at church on Sunday. My sermon was titled, “Like the Wheat” and well, the whole finding (and re-finding) your soul and “in the garden” thing was getting my head in the right space. I planned on reading the first few stanzas as the opening poem. The Lionel Ritchie song was just a lucky happenstance as I scrolled through my XM radio. (Have you heard the Yacht Rock station? Oh my…)
“How about you? Did you hear any good songs today?” I figured he must have given his opening line. He nodded and told me he listened to American Beauty. “The whole thing?” He nodded. “That’s a lot of good songs,” I said. He smiled and nodded again.
I ate my last few bites. We both looked up to the conversation going on above our heads and the cocktail chatter around the room. He sat just a little bit longer on that small seat with me. Dinner wrapped up and then when it got dark there was dancing in strobe lights. These people..they know how to throw a party.
Woke up very very early on Sunday and put the finishing touches to the sermon. Church went great and it was a nice day at the shop with Lila. Made the executive decision to close on the 4th, which was something 
I’d been wrangling with all week. Had an amazing quiet Monday at home after a quick nine in the morning. Courtney came to visit. I made rhubarb syrup. The hot farmer and I are buying a house this week. One of his sons is getting married on Saturday. JOY just turned three.
Spent most of the day Monday, July 4th in my bathing suit puttering around my yard and kitchen. The best part was when I dusted off the iPod, scrolled to artist “G” and settled on the Grateful Dead. I tell you what, American Beauty never sounded so good. Thank you, Bryan.
Let there be songs to fill the air…
Bring it, July!
xo – Joy
Joy Slusarek worked in the music industry for fifteen years before opening a bra shop three years ago in Manchester, Vermont. She enjoys music, golf, and dressing up for parties. She recalls attending at least two dead shows (Foxboro and St. Louis). “Like the Wheat” was her third sermon.
