What Ten Bucks Will Get You
No 40th birthday would be complete without a proper celebration and our day away was not over until we went out for dinner at a local restaurant with a piano bar. Neither of us had ever been, but moments in the door we knew this would not be our last visit.
The pianists (three) were amazing. Putting my own playing skills far to shame they played, sang, entertained. The crowd laugh, gasped and sang along with every classic hit, every familiar tune, every joke they played. With no less than seven bachelorette parties in attendance, we were also entertained by more than our fair share of drunk brides-to-be. The pianists had no mercy for women wearing flashing penises.
We enjoyed dinner and drinks and the music. And when I spoke to the waitress about taking home a piece of cheesecake (TB's favorite- as his birthday dessert) I inquired about a birthday announcement. She explained the process and told me $5 would get me an announcement and a song played, $10 would get him called up on stage.
I didn't know him well enough to know which option to choose. I knew myself - call me up on stage and I'll find the closest exit and hold a grudge for years. But TB? I decided to test the waters. I sat down next to him with the request form and asked him for his favorite song. Unable to come up with a good one for the situation, he finally just suggested anything by Chicago. I added a comment on the card that it was his 40th birthday celebration and walked up to place my request on the piano. It was during the walk up that I had to decide. $5, or $10? Announced or embarrassed?
I put a ten on the piano.
And when they called TB up to the stage, alongside another bachelorette, I started to worry. The other birthday celebrations had been fairly tame, but the bachelorette songs had been downright hysterical, at the expense of the bride-to-be (in each case they were far too drunk to remember it in the morning).
They had TB sit in a chair and told the veiled drunken wonder it was her job to give him a lap dance. TB was laughing and I breathed a sigh of relief that at least he was the passive member of this spectacle.
It was halfway through the song that I realized the trouble I had started. The pianist stopped and told the two on stage to switch positions. It was up to TB to show this bride how a lap dance was really done.
And show her he did.
I do not remember the last time I have laughed so hard. Or the last time I saw someone stand with such penache in a moment that might otherwise be a debacle. He hammed it up. He laughed and danced. He did the white man's overbite and had the crowd cheering. He was, in the moment, perfect.
And I, I am just happy to have photographic evidence of it all.
The pianists (three) were amazing. Putting my own playing skills far to shame they played, sang, entertained. The crowd laugh, gasped and sang along with every classic hit, every familiar tune, every joke they played. With no less than seven bachelorette parties in attendance, we were also entertained by more than our fair share of drunk brides-to-be. The pianists had no mercy for women wearing flashing penises.We enjoyed dinner and drinks and the music. And when I spoke to the waitress about taking home a piece of cheesecake (TB's favorite- as his birthday dessert) I inquired about a birthday announcement. She explained the process and told me $5 would get me an announcement and a song played, $10 would get him called up on stage.
I didn't know him well enough to know which option to choose. I knew myself - call me up on stage and I'll find the closest exit and hold a grudge for years. But TB? I decided to test the waters. I sat down next to him with the request form and asked him for his favorite song. Unable to come up with a good one for the situation, he finally just suggested anything by Chicago. I added a comment on the card that it was his 40th birthday celebration and walked up to place my request on the piano. It was during the walk up that I had to decide. $5, or $10? Announced or embarrassed?
I put a ten on the piano.
And when they called TB up to the stage, alongside another bachelorette, I started to worry. The other birthday celebrations had been fairly tame, but the bachelorette songs had been downright hysterical, at the expense of the bride-to-be (in each case they were far too drunk to remember it in the morning).
They had TB sit in a chair and told the veiled drunken wonder it was her job to give him a lap dance. TB was laughing and I breathed a sigh of relief that at least he was the passive member of this spectacle.
It was halfway through the song that I realized the trouble I had started. The pianist stopped and told the two on stage to switch positions. It was up to TB to show this bride how a lap dance was really done.
And show her he did.
I do not remember the last time I have laughed so hard. Or the last time I saw someone stand with such penache in a moment that might otherwise be a debacle. He hammed it up. He laughed and danced. He did the white man's overbite and had the crowd cheering. He was, in the moment, perfect.
And I, I am just happy to have photographic evidence of it all.
Happy 40th Birthday, TB!!
(It should be noted that I have gone to extreme lengths to emphasize to TB that reciprocity, while considered fair play in this situation, will not go over well. I embarrass easily and I hold grudges.)
Comments
You two are ADORABLE!
Glad of the happy ending, glad of the hysterics that I'm sure was that evening, SO glad you're happy! :)