TheBanyanTree: My, how time flies!

[Theta Brentnall]

At 06:40 PM 2/16/04 -0600, Paul wrote:

>   TheBanyanTree officially opened March 1, 2000.
>   And now, we are four.
>   That's my story.  What's yours?


One day back in 1997 my husband, Gerry, was cruising around the internet 
and he called me into his office.  (This was back in the day when we only 
had one computer; now we have 4 for the 2 of us.)  He said he had found a 
site where people write stories and that I ought to check it out.  So I 
subscribed and met a whole bunch of new heart-friends in the Spoon Cafe.  I 
staked out my place in the group and have enjoyed the stories and general 
madness ever since.  I remember trying to describe the Spoon to a new 
member.  It went something like this:

         You need to understand the physical layout and the cast of 
characters to really appreciate this place.  It's a big,     sprawling 
coffee house/bar/cafe with shady porch running all the way across the 
front.  When you walk in the door, there        are booths on all sides, 
some of which are hidden behind a big bank of ferns where some of our 
friends and family prefer        to lurk.  That's okay - we don't demand 
that you be outgoing.  Shy people have a comfort zone here and we are glad 
to   have them, but we are really happy when they stick their heads out and 
join in the party.

         There's a big long bar at the back, presided over by Dee, the 
queen of bartenders, who is ably assisted by the servers,         who look 
a whole lot like a flock of emus.  Actually, they are a flock of emus, 
provided by Paul, our resident emu rancher.     If you want something to 
drink, just flag one of them down and give her your order.  Dee just 
recently came back from   Thailand and she smuggled an ellyphant named 
Herman in her suitcase.  She's training him to be an assistant 
bartender,  so he might be filling your order, but that's okay - he's 
really learning fast.  That big, imposing guy over there is 
our       Marine, Tom, who serves as bouncer and mans the kissing booth 
when us gals want a smooch.

         The kissing booth?  Yes, that's the one right smack in the middle 
of the room.  Youngblood, our resident wild and crazy         woman and 
NASA-scientist baby-sitter runs the kissing booth.  If you don't want a 
kiss, she will mix up some majick dust        for you to make your day go 
well.  And me, I'm the one back there in the corner in the booth with the 
good lights over it,      working on my quilts while I'm listening to the 
stories.  It's a cozy spot.  If you feel a little chilly, come sit with me 
and  wrap yourself up in a warm quilt and visit a while.

         Glad to have you with us; this is a good place to be.

We've had some tears and we've had a lot of laughs, and over the years we 
have made a family.  A couple of years ago, Peter came by for a visit and 
Jena, Cecil, Sash, Gail and Paul gathered here.  I was very excited and 
told people that I had a whole housefull of dear friends I had never met 
before coming for the weekend.  They thought it was very strange.  It made 
a whole lot of sense to me!

And it's still a good place to be.

Theta