TheBanyanTree: My, how time flies!

[bluenosr at ns.sympatico.ca]

This is interesting.  I've been trying to remember how I got word of 
this writers' group and haven't been able to.  I don't suppose 
anyone can remember when I joined?....... well, neither can I.  But it 
seems like forever!

Reading Theta's great description, however, places the date well 
after the kissing booth and Tom the bouncer!  I have no recollection 
of them at all.  YB I remember, of course, but not her kissing booth!  
I, too, have tried to explain the concept of the Spoon Cafe and the 
Banyan Tree.  Some folks get it right away, while others just look at 
me funny and change the subject.

I haven't been doing much writing the last few years.  Maybe I'll get 
back at it now that I'm retired. 

Happy 4th!
Carolyn

On 17 Feb 2004 at 9:59, Theta Brentnall wrote:

> 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
> 
> 


===

Carolyn A. Johnson
bluenosr at ns.sympatico.ca