So, to finish up my Seattle trip….
I have no recollection, now, of what all I did that Saturday, the day after my performance with Rain. But, that evening, Kong came to pick me up and we went to dinner at this funky all leather high backed chairs Mafia-oso type of restaurant (5 Nickels in a Pond? Five Quarters? I can’t remember the name)…whoo! The food was par excellance! I’m sure that’s spelled wrong, but you know what i’m trying to say. YUMOLA. And Kong was dressed all spiffy nice, and then it was time to get another taxi and head to the show….Bonnie Raitt and Mya Sharp.
A thrill to be back in the hall I had performed in with Nanci. There is such a zen thing that happens when you can be on both sides of a performance….this theatre is decorated in splendid gold and exquisite iron/plaster works, with gianormous chandeliers hanging from the decorated ceiling. Ah. Memories….
The show was perfect. Mya’s band was tight, she was having a super time; Bonnie came out, playing slide and singing on one of her songs, early on. Then, later, during Bonnie’s set, Mya came out playing her sax…her BARITONE sax, heavy and golden and it totally rocked…I didn’t see it as two women playing, I saw it as a stage full of talented folks doing their thing. It’s so ludicrous how folks are still carved up into “women” musicians….What’s with THAT?!
Afterwards, I saw Rosie Flores, and we chatted and all went backstage to hang out with the band and I had a SCOTCH…Ughhhhhhhhhhghghgh….I thought I was being handed a glass of wine and took a swig and FIRE! My throat was on FIRE! But, then, as I was having a lovely, amicable and quite hysterical time with George Marinelli and another funny dude, we ended up finishing the drink and it was smooth and mellow and we were all smiles…playing word games, laughing ourselves silly. Lydia Hutchinson (Performing Songwriter) was there, too….she has the best mystery about herself!
Back at the hotel, Kong, Lydia and I sat in the lobby and chatted with anyone who came over and sat beside us. Around 3 in the morning, there was a broo-ha-ha with one of the RockrGrl acts….an older woman who is married to one of the guys in Blue Oyster Cult…oh, yes, Debbie Frost, I think that’s her name…she came over and started berating our new dear friend, Cindy….and I mean, this woman was MEAN! She was pissed off and pointing fingers in faces and she and her black leather/silver chained crew with frazzled hair were rather ugly with their tone. I was itching to hop off the sofa and put my two cents in, but Lydia was wise and put her hand on my thigh and said, “Don’t do it.” Plus, who am I kidding? I was sitting there with Kong, who could have gingerly picked up Ms. Frost’s entire crew and deposited them on the street with just a twist of his little finger. Cindy was calm and didn’t give an inch….She stood between the band and a stage hand they were yelling at, and I was amazed out how she didn’t let it ruin her evening when all was said and done. I think it had to do with the fact that almost immediately after the confrontation, a woman from Africa glided by in gold brocade with a large turban a-top her head….she was a vision, a ghost, a reminder, a smile. We all said “Ooh…” when she appeared out of no where and then, just as quickly, disappeared without a trace. That’s rock-n-roll for you. No need for explanations!
Next morning, I was tired and emotional. I was feeling all this connectedness…downstairs, over breakfast, Rain’s cousin and I got into it over “Farenheit 9-1-1” and I decided to just ask her what it was about the movie that upset her because our dear waitress, Oil, just kept me smiling and I didn’t want to end the weekend in a spat over Michael Moore. I stopped to give Oil a parting hug, and her tiny body slipped right into mine, her hug so sincere, so strong for someone only 4’11″… and she kept saying, “I love you! I miss you! I miss you! I miss you now!” And I was telling her I’d miss her, too, and then I ran upstairs and brought her back my cd (and Rain’s) and as I handed them to her, her eyes flew up with disbelief: “These for me?” And I was nodding yes when she grabbed me and hugged me further and said,
“Oh, my God! My God! I love you! I miss you! I pray for you! I pray for you now! Thank you, thank you for these gifts! I love you!”
And I was getting all choked up with her sincerity…it was so refreshingly REAL and honest and I was telling her I loved her back and I gave her my address and told her she was always welcome in our home in Texas and she was so excited, holding my one hand as I wrote with the other. Wow. Love in abundance!
I cried on the shoulder of Rockrgrl’s founding publisher, I hugged Gilli Moon with big, wet tears; I felt such a connection with all these women, as if I was leaving the Red Tent and heading back into the desert. That sounds dramatic and I don’t care. The plane ride home, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t read. I just stared out the window, and when we had the layover in Las Vegas, I had to switch planes, and I thought, “There is so much noise in the world…and no one hears it.” After four days of hearing beauty, I was astounded by how much chaos an airport can contain….combined with the slot machines and food court, it was enough for me to pick up a paper and submerge myself in world travel, to leave the noise behind and find myself somewhere far, far away. Back on the wings of a dream….
My friend, Trulin, sent a photograph of an albino baby deer. A friend of hers had picked it up in their headlights at night and brought it home. Only 1 in 1 million of these creatures is allegedly ever born, and the chances of their making it in the wild are slim. This woman’s children had named the baby “Powder”. The pink of it’s eyes and nose was sugar-sweet, and the milky fur didn’t even look real, almost transparent. Where will it end up in this noisy world? Hopefully in a place of peace and refuge….Hopefully, recognized for it’s beauty, it’s sacredness….
Ah, I am so wiped from Thanksgiving and the chill of the Chuy’s parade this morning (my family and I rode on the KB Homes float!)….I’m not sure what I’m saying anymore so I should just stop.
Stopping now. Will send pictures soon.
PS… Hi, Kathy Carr and family! Great to see you on the street…you had excellent seats!