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Thursday, June 12, 2008

My Party.

Every once in a while just in the nick of time something happens to remind me that things, at least for the moment, are pretty good. Last night was one of those times. For the last two years or so, I have taught comedy at a small independent place in the city. It's a great idea. People want to learn and the open Mic's can sometimes be nothing more than a training ground in what not to do, so a school that is supportive and structured is perfect. The money wasn't bad either. After two years of loving being a teacher, I stepped down. When I didn't have a gig at night, I was pretty much there. Every night was a night where I put energy out. I need some down time. I need some time to do the things I know I have to do to stay on just this side of crazy. It was a hard choice that I kept in the back of my mind for a while, but drama and fatigue made the choice easier. Last night I was given a going away party. I have to especially thank Dhaya for organizing the whole thing and securing a great location for it. I was given gifts, sentimental cards for occasions other than this (First communion, were having a baby and Fathers day cards were among them.) There was a unicorn pinata filled with candy that Kelly had individually wrapped with bad yo mama jokes, Darth Vader cardboard masks and of course, a cake in the shape and flavor of an Asian girls ass complete with two X-wing fighters flying across it's shapely Moon. Damn! Do these people know me or what? Don't ask how one captures the flavor of an Asian girls ass. Upon entering, I was made to sit down and Loren read a wonderful poem to me, about me and whores. Christ, I have to stop writing everything in my Blog! I have issues. What comic doesn't. All this positive emotion, all this love directed at me, it was overwhelming and beautiful. I should of left earlier! It was worth all the jokes about the cake. The cake, by the way, was accurate. Joe modeled it after his Asian girlfriend and then got it made at an adult bakery, delivered to Dhaya's house where Kelly picked it up and delivered it to the party. That's team work. I spent the night cutting it up and serving it on Star Wars plates. "Does anyone want more ass?" I kept asking. Loren asked for an end piece. "Loren, there all end pieces."
Then came the cards, the gifts, the warm words and awkward hugs. Oh, and the photos of us doing things to the unicorn/donkey that would scar it if it was real. By the way, Jennifer took it home. She became very attached to it and I didn't have the heart to take it back from her. In fact, she has now asked for a mythical creature pinata filled with fruit candy for her birthday. Done. There was also a giant card made by Aninta that everyone signed. All in all, it was a love fest for me. Man, I wish I was better with emotion!
As the party broke up, some people went back to the SFCC for shows and five women and I went to my favorite greasy spoon dinner, The Pinecrest. There is nothing like sitting around a table with five quick witted women. I need to do it more often. After that broke up, more people headed off in other directions and the rest of us, Donkey pinata and smiley face balloon in hand, headed for the SFCC.
The SFCC sits on the 7th and 5th floor of the native sons building on Mason Street. It is probably best known as the location for Ruby Skye, a dance club. Outside the club on this evening where two giant swirl lollipops. That didn't seem all that unusual to us. After all, if you were going to a dance club pumped to your gills on XTC, you to might want to see the inviting promise of giant lollipops outside. However, next to these was a sign that read, Sadie's Bat Mitzvah. Oh thats a great idea, have your daughters coming of age party in a place associated with cocaine and date rape. OK baby. Today you are a woman. Put on some glitter, get out there under the disco ball and shake your money maker!
The Comedy Colleges youngest student, 13, was told of the party down stairs. His first thought, "If I could crash it I would be knee deep in pussy!" Yes you would, young man. Yes you would. You would also have a great opening line. "Ladies, who wants to loose their virginity tonight? I promise I'll be gentile!"
All in all, a great night with too much for me to put in any one blog post. I was touched by every ones warmth and felt special. Thank you to everyone. It meant a lot to me and I smiled more last night than I have in a long while. I will miss teaching, but I think I made the right choice for myself. Take care of each other and always remember, the Force will be with you.

4 comments:

joe klocek said...

Small correction. Cake was delivered to my apt. Then Julie and Cara picked it up and delivered it. Then Kelly put the X-wings on it. Just so everyone gets equal credit for loving you!

Anonymous said...

Dhaya - quit putting words in Joe's blogs. Woman, I get enough credit - YOU put all of this delicious party madness together! All I did was carry around delicious ass cake. Thanks again!

Joe - we all love you, and x-wing fighters flying out of Asian ass confection is just a small token of our thanks! Words are never enough for what you've given to every single one of us. Unless those words are in the form of a pigeon joke...

--Cara

joe klocek said...

I have had a little room to consider this a little more now. Sometimes it takes a few days for something to really hit. I don;t think I really expressed how touched I was at all this out pouring of affection for me. rarely do you ever get to see something like this while your alive. A wake or a funeral sure, but not when you are up right and breathing. All those people coming together to just say, we respect you, care about you and wish you the best in whatever comes next in your life. That is powerful. When I really think about it, I get a little misty. I really do. I am so glad I didn't cry at the thing though.
Oh, and to show you how geeky I truly am, when I opened the box with the ass cake and two X-wings on it, my first thought was, Cool! Two X-wings. Then, Kelly told me she had borrowed them and I had to give them back. Thats when I noticed the ass checks of my cake!
But thanks everyone. It meant a lot to this jaded comic.

Dean said...

Thank goodness.. saw Veronica's MySpace bulletin about "Farewell to Joe" and I thought you were leaving SF or something... will still have to take a callbacks and/or riffing class from you someday, perhaps on a consultancy/retainer basis...