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22 December 2005

My dad has been asking me all week if I would come in and sing with his bank's choir group. Since he never made it clear that they had asked me to come, I refused several times. I wasn't going to show up and crash the party. Then his assistant called and personally invited me to join in the fun.

I meant to go home and put something pretty on before serenading seniors, but my mom and I got trapped by various talkative shopkeepers and I arrived at the bank in a paint-covered hoodie, jeans and hiking boots (yes I transform into this person while in the country). My fellow carolers were all spiffed up in christmas sweaters and ribbons. They had a song book waiting for me. Under sunbeams filtering through seasonal window paintings, these ladies transformed a plain old bank into the sweetest atmosphere I've seen in a while.

Aided by a mini-keyboard, we huddled together in the centre of the building and busted out the usual holiday favourites. The customers were bewildered, yes, but pleased. They got me to sing "O holy night" and though my rendition will never compete with the drunken, 8-verse long epic performed by my comrades in a GTs basement, it's still my most beloved carol. Upon request, I decided to sing a Christmas tune that Jennie and I jokingly wrote a few weeks back, which went over well until I hit the chorus: "Christmas time in an Irish pub"...

One lady grabbed my hands and said "You don't know how much that meant to me" and walked away crying. I was happy but I hope I didn't upset her...

So wouldn't you know it, I'm going back tomorrow for the "Afternoon performance" and then to a Christmas eve service at a church. I don't know much about Church festivities, so anyone feel free to pass on any ettiqutte I may need to know..hmmm.

I am so charmed by some of the people I've met up here. Although Owen Sound has MORE than its fair share of characters...

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it is also home to some of the sweetest people I've met.

2 comments:

invitationinside said...

oh i can just picture you getting right in there with the townsfolk. i love it i love it i love it. you're a townie now! and a caroller! you should roam the streets on christmas eve , today, singing carols

Unknown said...

well sawatsky, I may just make that solitary journey, frightening old folks in their living rooms and interrupting their knitting. Either way it would break the dead silence of my street!

Merry Christmas!