I was tired and ached, but I thought a few minutes before a friendly audience would wake me up, and, just as important, be a good warm up for Vangelli’s later that evening. To some extent it was a success; the audience, though at first somewhat dubious after hearing my introduction, laughed and enjoyed the presentation. My evaluator liked my presentation, and commented on what he called my, “alpha male”, voice! I don’t like to quibble with an evaluator, but, I’m a farm boy, a ‘hayseed’, if you will; mine might be better described as an, “alfalfa male”, voice!
The good members of CBA Toastmasters also, oddly enough, allowed me to tell a joke! I did the old gem about the naked man dying while hiding naked in a refrigerator. It was well received, then, I gave Manus a lift home, and headed for Vangelli’s, arriving about 9:30. I was real tired by now, but felt that if I got on stage early, I might still be able to do my set and return home for 11:30. This getting up at 4:30 in the morning is, to me, a rough grind, and I’ll have to hone my timing over the summer, or it will be me caught between the grindstones!
Talked to a young fellow named, ‘Jordan’, who I’d seen do a set before a particularly raucous audience, three weeks ago, and I was much pleased to see him back for a second set. He asked if I was going up and I told him that I would, provided it didn’t get too late. I would have liked to talk to him more, but was just too weary, and, was trying to get my concentration focused for the evening ahead. The show didn’t start till after 10:00, and Jordan was first up; he’s got a great personality, and a funny point of view, but he had trouble getting his material out and couldn’t hold the audience. Still, a commendable job for his second time, and I certainly do hope that he comes out again.
I sat and watched three more sets, and, by that time, it was 11:00, and I could see that I wouldn’t be the next up. I’d tried to ask the Jester, earlier in the evening, about being one of the first, but, he was busy, and I couldn’t catch his attention. So, I looked at the time situation. If I hung around, it would be 12:30 by the time I got home, then, up at 4:30, head to work for ten hours, dash home, get ready, and head off to Calgary for Friday morning. My concentration was obliterated by this time, so, I gathered my stuff, muttered, “Vias Con Dios,” and left the city lights behind me.
On a happier note, I’ve taken up the ‘Fool’s Gold’ again; not too long ago, a fellow wiped out and wrote off an eighteen wheel, ‘Belly Dumper’, at work; he wasn’t tested! So, if they’re going to worry about the après work activities of an, ‘asphalt raker’, they can kiss my asphalt goodbye!
Things go better without interference from the boss. On Thursday the boss dropped by our worksite, and, unusual for him, expressed his satifaction for both the quantity and quality of our efforts! You could have knocked me over with an asphalt rake! Not just verbal veneration, but, as we were only a few hundred yards from his acerage, he took it upon himself to zip home and bring us back cans of frosty coke! I think I hurt his feelings when I declined the offered reward, but, while a lot of 'things' go better with coke ...I've never seen diabetes on the list. Besides, in my adult life I've made it a point to never drink 'mix' ....without a reason!
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