due to unforseen circumstances, i did not go. i had a really bad day, so when i got word of the cancellation from patrick, i was ready to just go home and go to bed. which i did, but not before attempting to get a hold of debra and let her know that i wasn't going. i thought i had called early enough for you to have gotten the message, i didn't know you had left early not to return home. i didn't have the cell #, and in my brain-dead status, didn't think to call the Fez. I am truly sorry that this happened, i certainly didn't mean for it to happen, and there was no intentional "standing up" at all. i am not normally a flaky person, but i certainly didn't behave well here. my deepest apologies to debra, and to anyone else who might have shown up. sincerely, alison e. --- dsk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I would have loved for you to be there too since I > ended up there by myself, in > the center booth, best seat in the house, waiting, > waiting, drinking a beer, > waiting, listening to the music over the sound > system. The NYC Joni contingent > apparently needs to be contacted at the very last > moment to see if plans are > still on. Jeez, I didn't know, so I left home today > at 4:15 to meet a friend to > see a movie (Chocolat again for me, aahhhh!) and > after the movie and a chat she > went off to her play rehearsal and I went downtown, > getting to the Fez a little > early, standing in line, paying my hard cold cash, > and doing that waiting thing, > just hanging out with independent me. No word on my > cell phone; no word at the > Fez, which would have gotten to me if they'd been > called since it's such a small > place, and with a "Leader" reservation for 6 it > looked like all was ok to me. > Two evening messages from concerned Alison were on > my home answering machine and > I heard them when I got home at midnight; it didn't > cross my mind to check my > answering machine before going into the Fez. Hmmm. > > I don't know why everyone cancelled at the last > minute and I hope all's ok with > everyone; but along with that I've gotta say I've > never been treated so rudely. > So, live and learn is what I say at such times. > > The Mingus Big Band, though, was great. I only know > Mingus from Joni's album, so > had no idea he wrote such quirky stuff, with some > intricate passages, lots of > humor, and always tough (nothing sentimental). > Seemed intellectual rather than > emotional. Listening to jazz recordings can make me > kinda nuts, but hearing and > also seeing the musicians' interaction makes it > quite enjoyable. I like how they > trade off the spotlight (so to speak) and how they > listen so intently to each > other's playing. It all seems so personal and > intertwined I'm drawn in. So the > evening was very pleasant despite my stood-up > status. I ended up sharing "my" > prized booth with four strangers who spoke a Slavic > language (I think), > listening to the music and eating hummus for dinner > (that stuff is so yummy) > and, since the Fez is downstairs, feeling the subway > trains (especially the 4 > and 5 express trains) when they zip by underneath; > it vibrates the seats and > gives everyone a fanny massage every few minutes, > which is soooo New York I lov > I also spent some of my evening imagining Joni there > on stage. That must have > been such a wonderful experience for the lucky few > that knew about it in time to > get in. Her performance there wasn't that long ago, > but I think of it as the > start of her reemergence and blossoming, and the Fez > (in my mind anyway) is a > special place because of that. It's also very > relaxed and the people that work > there are friendly, it's not too expensive (for NYC > anyway), and they have all > types of performances (saw Susan McKeown, a > fantastic Irish singer, last week). > The cafe upstairs is middle eastern decor with > couches and candles and small > tables... very cozy. Anyone that visits NYC, check > it out... just don't expect > me to be waitin' on ya. > > Debra Shea Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online! http://photos.yahoo.com/
