As promised. See if you ain't heard.

I met a woman named Ursula today. She was wearing a leather vest and looked a little like Ms. Flint on Monsters Inc. (I couldn't find a picture yet).

Exactly why we karaoke:

Wow. Last night was hands down the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I looked fly. My girls did too. We turned the Junction out. I’m sure just about every Saturday from here on out I will have something to say about my time at the Junction Friday night. Everything I’m about to say may seem like an exaggeration. But it’s not.

The true stories of the Conjunction Junction What’s Your Function:

First allow me to explain this place I just so happen to visit every Friday night. There are plenty of Caucasians wearing cow boy boots and hats. There are other Caucasians wearing whatever they wear when they step out of a trailer. So, if you haven’t seen what I look like yet, let me be the first to tell you, I don’t quite fit in. I am 5’9, Black, and wear a huge curly ‘fro on my head. I wear sneakers and jeans and last night I had to bring out the big guns in my new Hundreds T. There is a bar that is occupied with cow girls and cow boys courting each other. There is a stage that is occupied by a single man who is missing most of his teeth (he is the DJ/Karaoke Master). He has a little corner with a lone CD player and a fold up table in which he keeps extra microphones. The Bartender is a liar. The waitress is drunk. And every one in there stares at us when we walk in the door. Do I blame them? No. I guess if the boot was on the other foot I might do that too.

Well, when we walk in we head straight for a table. I knew the lying bartender from a previous “club” in Bakersfield so he gave me the proverbial head nod and point. You know the one. The drunk waitress approached Shanyia and said, “Are you guys going to sing?” Shanyia replied with, “of course” and a slight shake of the head. I should have known the night would be great from just those two moments.

We all gathered around the table having had finished a full size bottle of SoCo in the parking lot just minutes before. My buzz was starting to kick in as I approached the two of the only other three black people in the whole establishment.

Me: “Hey, do you mind if I look at that book?” (The book with all the songs in it)

Black Lady: “Yes.”

Me: “Yes you do mind or yes you don’t?”

Black Man: “Yes we do.”

Me: “Ok. Why? I mean aren’t they here for everyone to share?”

Black Lady: “We brought this. This is our own copy of the book. We are regulars and we have about 65 songs we sing here three nights a week. So yes, I do mind.”

Me: “Damn. I mean, are you getting paid? I mean you must be if you’re here so often.”

Black Lady: “No. I don’t get paid. But there have been plenty of times when I have received tips.”

Me: “So you used your tip money to buy that binder from the dude with no teeth?”

Black Man: “Yes, we did. Who are you to judge me?”

Me: “I’m not judging you. I haven’t heard you sing yet. I just wanted to see the binder. It’s cool. Just don’t mess up. Or I’ll boo that ass.”

Needless to say we found another book. And the likes of which we chose to sing are but are not limited to the following:

Jumpin’ Jumpin’- Destiny’s Child
Get Down On it- Kool and the Gang
Wannabe- Spice Girls
Déjà vu- Beyonce feat. Jay-Z

And I’m sure there are others I don’t remember.

The night proceeded to blur on. Songs were sung. People danced. And everyone was merry.

Life is good at the Junction. It’s a place you can sing your worries away. Where cow girls and boys rub elbows with sneaker wearing, SoCo drinking, basketball lovers.

I didn’t know a word to that damn Kool in the Gang song but I’ll tell you what, I did work that crowd like it was my damn job. I see why that black couple took it so seriously. The Junction ain’t no joke.

Peace and Love

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