The spirit of Joe

So my very first rehearsal dinner was a family affair of note. Short missives, long speeches, rehearsed routines and a glowing couple. Plus belonging, laughter and fun. My contribution for my nephew Joe: This is the spirit. 

While in Tulsa Oklahoma a few days before, in search of the Tulsa Sound, I found it at a dive bar called The Mercury Lounge. There I sat with a great view of the small stage to hear Pilgrim with tunes from the Tulsa heartland. I ordered, but due to a few quirks of paying only with Garmin Pay, there was no way of actually paying for my poured beer. What to do? Then the young man next to me leaned over I said: “I’ll buy you that beer.” I protested a bit then succumbed and said thank you, but “why did you buy me a beer?”, I asked. He looked me straight in the eye and said: “Southern hospitality”. On the place rides to Greenville that stuck with me. Southern hospitality. Now I wasn’t sure if Oklahoma is “South” but I assumed so. I then also thought that Southern hospitality may as well be described as Southern spirit too.

I’m sure that Joe sees in ElizaPearl her unique, upbeat, lovely, outgoing, southern disposition as what it is, a wonderful person with an infectious, positive Southern spirit. And I know too, that EP sees something truly wonderful in Joe as well. And that, in my humble opinion, makes them kindred spirits. When I heard a while ago that Joe landed a plum job as part of the marketing team at what is, again in my opinion, the best women’s soccer team in the USA, it was no surprise to me that his team is called the Washington Spirit.

So then, ladies and gentlemen, let’s have a toast... to the spirit of Joe.