Out Among the People...

I use this photo to represent the people I hang out with. Here you see various family members all having a good time.  Yesterday at work someone celebrated a birthday and there were photos of the gang wearing silly birthday crowns and later in the evening we gathered with Blackspot friends and naturally some cell photos were snapped..If you see me at church I am usually making photos of people, the environment and the grounds as our lives move through the seasons of worship. If you look through this blog there are plenty of photos of musicians playing and singing together which is a fete often compared to herding cats.  

In all these places I hang our and all these people I have fun with I could probably say we won't  agree on just everything in the world. There is a shared purpose in all these situations that we do agree on. Family, work, faith, music that we try to make come first and that requires a certain level of and I not too sure what to call it but all need some education, some competence, spirituality, love, tolerance and who knows what else to make all these relationships work for a common good.  Of course if you look in the photo a large pontoon boat is handy. 

That's why I was certainty surprised the other evening to be thrown into a conversation with people whom I did not share so much in common. Cathy texted while I was at work and said she was on call but had a staff meeting. I drove to meet her at the local pancake house and I'm in scrubs. I just want, for the sake of the story for you to know that this time I was not dressed like I was playing bass for Black Uhuru. 

I slid into a booth and waited for Cathy. Next to me was a gentleman and I use the term loosely 65-70 years old. Another guy, a bit younger and thinner sat a couple of tables away. A younger man soon occupied a nearby table and because I often treat these type patients and I noted that at sometime in his life he had had a traumatic brain injury.  Across from him a man and woman 75-80 years took a booth. The man looked a bit tousled and the woman had orange hair. Behind this couple was a booth of young black people, maybe teenagers.

I waited and could not help but hear the gentleman begin telling thin guy how he flirted with every waitress in town. While he never used bad language or was crudely lewd he did use the word "bosoms" and I can't remember the last time I heard a man brag so about his lady killing ability. He stopped by my booth and exchanged general pleasantry and I could tell he was disappointed that I had no war story to exchange. Thin guy stopped by my booth and said "I was waiting for you to help me out." I was not sure I could have. I was glad Cathy had not arrived because I surely would have had her stolen from me by this dangerous ladies man. 

Meanwhile, and keep in mind I am kind of telling the story in a linear fashion but it all happened at once TBI guy starts telling the young waitress all about Jesus and the Bible verses he has memorized. He mentions her possibly attending his church but I don't think it was really a come on and to give the waitress credit she is very patient with this man. I should have told her that health care needs the kind of person you are. 

TBI guy makes a comment and I don't think it was to anyone in a particular about the terrible recent events. Tousled guy mentions loudly that he "never leaves home without his gun" and will "pop a cap if he needs to." 

I think about the fact that the good guys, who all had guns, died in piles in Dallas and the fact that for old men nothing happens fast and he probably won't get a round off until too late. 

TBI guy responds to this last comment cheerfully, "if something starts I guess I'll just go meet Jesus!" I tell TBI that I'm with him. 

The black kids eat and leave. I don't take any photos but now I hate that you didn't get to see the orange hair. I did not ask what school anyone went to, what instrument they played or where they went to church. We did not hunt up kin folks but being my family has been in the area since 1837 I am seldom surprised by the connections I find. 

Cathy arrives. We eat. I go home and dress like I'm in Black Uhuru's band.   .