Last night Mike, his father and I went into Deming for dinner. We decided earlier to eat at my favorite restaurant (a Mexican-Italian joint). Really I have no idea how their Mexican is - because the Italian is
SO good that I've only ever eaten that. Normally, as in the past, this converted bank restaurant with zero ambiance has been home to us and maybe one other person. We have always worried that they just weren't getting enough business to stay open - but of course they always seemed to be open.
Last night, a Saturday night, we entered the place to find a few tables full. Just a few. And people were talking loud and seemed excited. The energy in the room was amazing. By 7 PM the place was packed. We felt bad for staying at the table for so long when there were people standing waiting for a table. Turns out - it was karaoke night. Now normally, at least from what I've seen, karaoke happens with there is 1) loads of liqueur that has been consumed 2) a dark room 3) inhabitants were tossed to the wind like 30 minutes ago. This night though ... all those rules were broken. The room was filled with people from 5-85. There was little to no booze being consumed. And the entire room turned to face the television to sing along with the selected singer. Everyone knew one another. Some people got up and danced, even if they didn't have a partner. People brought their own CD's with music. My favorite of all was a 60 year old cowboy named JD who sang some old country song and nailed it. He was amazing. He drank his Miller Light until his name was called. He sauntered up to the front. He sang his guts out. And it all made me wish that there was just a bit more of this - good old fashion clean fun - in the world.
