The Story of My Life :P

La Vie en Rose

         I just got home from one of the best nights of my entire existence. 

         I had the honor of going to an amazing, super-fancy French restaurant to sing Christmas carols. It was a quartet--me, an alto, Claudia, a soprano, Bryce, a tenor, and Malek, a bass. Claudia is very nice and quiet, except when she sings. She has a very loud (an incredibly sweet and amazing) voice. Bryce is one of the only tenors in our choir who can and is willing to sing, and he's arrogant (to put it nicely). Malek is comical, because he's a tiny, blue-eyed, blond-haired little guy (still bigger than me) but he has a very low voice. That, and he's just plain hilarious.

         We were trying to raise money for choir, so that Vocal Ensemble could go on tour at the end of January. The reason I was selected for this event was because the alto who was going to be there had an emergency and couldn't. The week before, another alto filled in for her. That particular alto's voice didn't blend well with the quartet, so they decided to try me instead. I'm so glad they did!!!

         After a few rehearsals, a lot of confusion on who was taking whom, and last-minute rescues, I arrived at the fancy restaurant, La Vie en Rose. I stepped inside the big red double doors and found the other three waiting for me. We ran through the songs, and we began our rounds. 

         Our audiences--the restaurant customers--were receptive and polite.

         (Malek just sent me a text telling me how much we made. Best night financially by a WHOLE BUTTLOAD OF MONEY!!!!) 

         I did a happy dance just now to celebrate that^

         So anyway. The place was gorgeous, with mirrors and twinkling lights and French-style architecture. Almost every table gave us at least two fives...and we hit a LOT of tables. 

         One family, who was friends with the manager of the restaurant, loved us. They asked us to sing, and they chatted with us, and then they told us to come back later. So we did, and the next set we sang for them, the parents slow danced to. Bryce sang "Staying Alive" for the liberal family as well.

         I don't know the exact relation, but one table had someone who knew one of the math teachers at our school, and one of the choir members had this teacher. So we sang for them. Then after that, the restaurant manager came up and put his hand on my shoulder. The pudgy, gray-haired man with alcohol on his breath carried a cane that he really didn't need and stalked us around the restaurant. That was okay. So long as he liked us and invited us back next year!!! 

         We sang, and sang, and sang until our throats were sore and our mouths were dry, and then we sang some more. 

         At what I thought was the end of the night, Malek (the leader of the group) turned to us.

         "Good job tonight, everybody. Let's go," but instead of heading for the exit, he moved off toward one of the quieter rooms, with a waiter ahead of us. 

         Bryce muttered something about dessert. 

         "What's going on?" I asked Claudia, confused. 

         "We get free dessert," She smiled at me. 

         I almost screamed. I got to sing at a fancy French restaurant, earn a bunch of money, hang out with friends, AND I got free dessert? It got to the point where I almost thought I had died and gone to a twinkle-lighted, music-filled heaven. 

         We all filed in at a booth. The waiter took our orders (I got a chocolate eclaire) and bustled off. I sipped on water to help my parched throat. 

         We all chatted--I realized I didn't have any way to get into my apartment because my brother was off performing in a play and my parents were at the St. Regious hotel (is that how you spell it?) for my Pa Joe's 80th birthday, but that didn't seem relevant at the time—and I tried to conduct myself in a manner suitable for the level of formality that the setting required. I failed pretty darn hard.

         Then we went in and sang one last set for one last group, and then went to record one of the pieces in front of a “fireplace”, which was really just a bunch of plants and twinkling lights in a brick frame. We hung out for a minute in the front area of the restaurant. I noticed a framed flyer.

         “Hey!” I exclaimed. “It’s us!!!”

         I remembered that day where Claudia, Malek and I had gone out with a few other choir members to take photos to advertise us. That photo was in the flyer, sitting on the fancy table in the fancy restaurant. Bryce wasn't in the photo because of his height. They wanted people who were near the same height, and Bryce was a full head taller than the three of us. He joked that he felt left out. He obviously didn't. 

         We went home. The irate apartment manager who I asked to let me into my apartment hampered my mood. Only for a moment, though. When I got inside, I lost my mind. I started jumping around, yelling, singing and having a great time, all by myself. I was so happy…and still am! It feels like it was just a dream, like it happened to another person. But it didn’t, and I had an amazing time.

                So. HAPPY. :D 

********* Note. It has now been about seven months since this night happened. The restaurant has been torn down. Fate is cruel :'(