Christmas dinner * Dan & two Zachs * Events calendar * Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter * Vol. 12 * Dec. 23, 2011
JOIN US FOR DINNER
ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Uptown Bill's hosts a Christmas Dinner on Sunday, Dec. 25. Noon to 2 pm. Love to see you. You're welcome to bring something to share, but it's not required. After dinner, we'll show "A Friend Indeed," the documentary film about Bill Sackter and the coffee houses. Hours on Christmas: 10 am to 4 pm.
THREE WISE MEN: DAN & TWO ZACHS
(A holiday story from the coffeeshop)
"HEY mister, are you from Iowa?" I looked around and saw a young man crossing
the street towards me. I didn't get a chance to answer.
"I used to have a friend in Iowa, in Iowa City. Do you know that place?
"I lost touch with him, though. I lost a lot of other things, too. All I've got
now is my skateboard and this." He held up a battered and bulging backpack.
It was a cold December day, right before Christmas. There wasn't any snow yet,
but the wind made it clear this was certainly a winter day.
"I'm Tom," I said, holding out my hand. I'm from right here -- Minneapolis. The
car's borrowed. Mine's getting fixed."
"I'm Dan, sorry about the car. That sucks.
"I used to live near here in a great old house. Me and two friends found it. It
was empty, so we moved in.
"It was great for the summer -- and until the police came. They made us leave.
Actually, we snuck out the back just as they were coming in the front."
"Where are you staying now?" I asked.
"Wherever I can," Dan answered. "You might say that I'm couch surfing. I stay
with friends for a week or two. But then I leave.
"I just left the last place I was staying because I overheard the two people
living there arguing about how long I could stay. I just picked up my stuff and
left. Didn't even say goodbye.
"I called my mom and she said I was welcome to come back home. But Minneapolis
is my home now. I don't want to go back."
"Where'd you grow up?" I asked.
"Small town in Wisconsin. Nothing to do there, nobody left but old people."
A gust of cold wind chilled us both. "Say, I'm headed into that coffeeshop," I
said. "Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
He responded with a worried, almost frightened look. "It's okay," I said. "You
can check me out with the people inside. I've been coming to this place for years."
We went inside, got our coffee and sat down under a sign which read: "A 4-H
member lives here." I looked up -- and sure enough -- the Minnesota State Fair
4-H fan was still there was there, too; I'd put it there five years ago.
SO WHAT'D you do for Christmas?" I asked.
"I spent the day with a friend's family. It was great. They had a stocking for
me and everything."
"Why didn't you stay there for a few days?" I asked
"I didn't want to be a bother, you know, in the way and stuff."
There was a silence between us for a few moments. I didn't know what to say; I
guessed Dan didn't either. Around us, I could hear people talking. I heard music
playing, too, but I couldn't quite make out the words to the song.
"WHAT are you going to do now?" I asked.
"I wanna to go to San Francisco," Dan said. "I have a friend there who says
that jobs are easy to get. And they don't have winters like this."
"Have you ever been to San Francisco?" I asked.
I didn't answer his question right away. I started thinking - thinking about how
many times over the past 30 years I'd heard other young people say the same
thing right here in this same spot. Including me. Since the 1967 Summer of Love,
the draw of San Francisco has been a continuing siren song, calling Midwest
youth.
I was also thinking about the young people I've met in San Francisco who were
just as lost as this young man. They had gone to California with such
great hopes, hopes for a new life and hopes for a fresh start. There was so much
they wanted to leave behind. But too many ended up lost again, and this time so
far from home.
JOE'S voice brought me back to the present. "Hey, Tom, are you okay? I asked if
you'd ever been to San Francisco. You didn't answer me."
"Sorry," I said. It's just that, well...Yes, I've been there," I said. "And,
yes, San Francisco is all the things you say and more. But it's not easy to make
that move. I don't want to discourage you, but..."
Just then two other young men came up to us. "Hey," Dan interrupted, "it's the
Zacks."
"Tom, I'd like you to meet Zack and Zack," he said.
"We've been looking for you, Dan," said one Zack.
"We're here to take you out to dinner," said the other.
"We found this church which has a free dinner tonight," said the first Zack.
"Guess I gotta go," Dan said to me. "Nice talking to you."
"Nice talking to you, too," I said. "Take care." Just then I remembered that I
had a telephone calling card in my pocket, a gift for buying some Christmas
gift. I took it out and handed it to Dan. "Call your mother," I said. "Let her
know how you're doing."
"Thanks," Dan said.
Then he and the two Zacks were off to the church dinner. As I watched the three
of them cross the street I realized the song we had been listening to in that
coffeeshop was "American Noel" by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. It could have
been an anthem for Dan and the Zachs:
Three wise men
Riding through the cold
Lost on some jolly street
With no warm place to go
They are looking for a manger
Or a sign in the lights
But they're a long way
from Bethlehem tonight
COMING UP IN THE
COFFEE HOUSE
Sunday, Dec. 25
Noon. Christmas Dinner. All are welcome.
2 pm: Showing of "A Friend Indeed: The Bill Sackter Story."
Tuesday, Dec. 27
6 pm. Live webcast of Tom's Guitar Show.
7 pm Book signing by Ray Davis.
8 pm: Music with singer/songwriters Geoff Turner and Ben Sturdevant.
Wednesday, Dec. 28,
6 pm. Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm: Spoken Word
Thursday, Dec. 29,
6 pm Artvaark (Art Night). 7 pm. Open Mic.
Sunday. Jan. 1
Noon. New Year's Dinner.
2 pm. Showing of original 'Bill' movie (1981).
Wednesday, Jan. 4,
6 pm. Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm Spoken Word
Thursday, Jan. 5,
6 pm Artvaark (Art Night). 7 pm. Open Mic
Friday, Jan. 6
4 pm. Chess Club
5 pm. Friday Night Jazz.(tentative)
Saturday, Jan. 7.
4:30 pm. Irish Sessions.
7 pm. Saturday Night Music with Mutiny in the Parlor.
IA TWELVE DAYS
OF CHRISTMAS
How about an Iowa version of Twelve Days of Christmas? It might go like this:
A cold Herky in a bare tree
Two cars crashing
Three moonlit nights
Four feet of snow
Five prairie gold Molines
Six neighbors caroling
Ten runners running
Eleven deer a leaping
Twelve boxcars banging
Have a few ideas of your own for an Iowa version of this song? Send them along
and I'll offer them to other readers in a future column. Or add yours at the Bill's Bookmart page on Facebook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's Coffee House. Published since 2000, the Newsletter is written by Tom Gilsenan, a former manager of Wild Bill's and now director of Uptown Bill's. You can write to him at tomgilsenan@gmail.com
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. It has been a part of campus life in Iowa City for more than 35 years. Located in North Hall, the coffeeshop is open weekdays from 8 am. For more information, check the Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop page on Facebook. You can call the coffeeshop at (319) 335-1281. Donations to support the work of the coffeeshop may be sent to: Bill's Coffeeshop Fund, University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, IA 52244. Contributions are tax deductible.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of Wild Bill's. Now in its 11th year, it includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Located at 730 S. Dubuque, Uptown Bill's is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am. For more information, check the Uptown Bill's website or Facebook page. You can call Uptown Bill's at (319) 339-0804. Donations to support the work of Uptown Bill's may be sent to: Extend the Dream Foundation, Uptown Bill's, 730 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Contributions are tax deductible.
ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Uptown Bill's hosts a Christmas Dinner on Sunday, Dec. 25. Noon to 2 pm. Love to see you. You're welcome to bring something to share, but it's not required. After dinner, we'll show "A Friend Indeed," the documentary film about Bill Sackter and the coffee houses. Hours on Christmas: 10 am to 4 pm.
THREE WISE MEN: DAN & TWO ZACHS
(A holiday story from the coffeeshop)
"HEY mister, are you from Iowa?" I looked around and saw a young man crossing
the street towards me. I didn't get a chance to answer.
"I used to have a friend in Iowa, in Iowa City. Do you know that place?
"I lost touch with him, though. I lost a lot of other things, too. All I've got
now is my skateboard and this." He held up a battered and bulging backpack.
It was a cold December day, right before Christmas. There wasn't any snow yet,
but the wind made it clear this was certainly a winter day.
"I'm Tom," I said, holding out my hand. I'm from right here -- Minneapolis. The
car's borrowed. Mine's getting fixed."
"I'm Dan, sorry about the car. That sucks.
"I used to live near here in a great old house. Me and two friends found it. It
was empty, so we moved in.
"It was great for the summer -- and until the police came. They made us leave.
Actually, we snuck out the back just as they were coming in the front."
"Where are you staying now?" I asked.
"Wherever I can," Dan answered. "You might say that I'm couch surfing. I stay
with friends for a week or two. But then I leave.
"I just left the last place I was staying because I overheard the two people
living there arguing about how long I could stay. I just picked up my stuff and
left. Didn't even say goodbye.
"I called my mom and she said I was welcome to come back home. But Minneapolis
is my home now. I don't want to go back."
"Where'd you grow up?" I asked.
"Small town in Wisconsin. Nothing to do there, nobody left but old people."
A gust of cold wind chilled us both. "Say, I'm headed into that coffeeshop," I
said. "Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
He responded with a worried, almost frightened look. "It's okay," I said. "You
can check me out with the people inside. I've been coming to this place for years."
We went inside, got our coffee and sat down under a sign which read: "A 4-H
member lives here." I looked up -- and sure enough -- the Minnesota State Fair
4-H fan was still there was there, too; I'd put it there five years ago.
SO WHAT'D you do for Christmas?" I asked.
"I spent the day with a friend's family. It was great. They had a stocking for
me and everything."
"Why didn't you stay there for a few days?" I asked
"I didn't want to be a bother, you know, in the way and stuff."
There was a silence between us for a few moments. I didn't know what to say; I
guessed Dan didn't either. Around us, I could hear people talking. I heard music
playing, too, but I couldn't quite make out the words to the song.
"WHAT are you going to do now?" I asked.
"I wanna to go to San Francisco," Dan said. "I have a friend there who says
that jobs are easy to get. And they don't have winters like this."
"Have you ever been to San Francisco?" I asked.
I didn't answer his question right away. I started thinking - thinking about how
many times over the past 30 years I'd heard other young people say the same
thing right here in this same spot. Including me. Since the 1967 Summer of Love,
the draw of San Francisco has been a continuing siren song, calling Midwest
youth.
I was also thinking about the young people I've met in San Francisco who were
just as lost as this young man. They had gone to California with such
great hopes, hopes for a new life and hopes for a fresh start. There was so much
they wanted to leave behind. But too many ended up lost again, and this time so
far from home.
JOE'S voice brought me back to the present. "Hey, Tom, are you okay? I asked if
you'd ever been to San Francisco. You didn't answer me."
"Sorry," I said. It's just that, well...Yes, I've been there," I said. "And,
yes, San Francisco is all the things you say and more. But it's not easy to make
that move. I don't want to discourage you, but..."
Just then two other young men came up to us. "Hey," Dan interrupted, "it's the
Zacks."
"Tom, I'd like you to meet Zack and Zack," he said.
"We've been looking for you, Dan," said one Zack.
"We're here to take you out to dinner," said the other.
"We found this church which has a free dinner tonight," said the first Zack.
"Guess I gotta go," Dan said to me. "Nice talking to you."
"Nice talking to you, too," I said. "Take care." Just then I remembered that I
had a telephone calling card in my pocket, a gift for buying some Christmas
gift. I took it out and handed it to Dan. "Call your mother," I said. "Let her
know how you're doing."
"Thanks," Dan said.
Then he and the two Zacks were off to the church dinner. As I watched the three
of them cross the street I realized the song we had been listening to in that
coffeeshop was "American Noel" by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. It could have
been an anthem for Dan and the Zachs:
Three wise men
Riding through the cold
Lost on some jolly street
With no warm place to go
They are looking for a manger
Or a sign in the lights
But they're a long way
from Bethlehem tonight
COMING UP IN THE
COFFEE HOUSE
Sunday, Dec. 25
Noon. Christmas Dinner. All are welcome.
2 pm: Showing of "A Friend Indeed: The Bill Sackter Story."
Tuesday, Dec. 27
6 pm. Live webcast of Tom's Guitar Show.
7 pm Book signing by Ray Davis.
8 pm: Music with singer/songwriters Geoff Turner and Ben Sturdevant.
Wednesday, Dec. 28,
6 pm. Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm: Spoken Word
Thursday, Dec. 29,
6 pm Artvaark (Art Night). 7 pm. Open Mic.
Sunday. Jan. 1
Noon. New Year's Dinner.
2 pm. Showing of original 'Bill' movie (1981).
Wednesday, Jan. 4,
6 pm. Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm Spoken Word
Thursday, Jan. 5,
6 pm Artvaark (Art Night). 7 pm. Open Mic
Friday, Jan. 6
4 pm. Chess Club
5 pm. Friday Night Jazz.(tentative)
Saturday, Jan. 7.
4:30 pm. Irish Sessions.
7 pm. Saturday Night Music with Mutiny in the Parlor.
IA TWELVE DAYS
OF CHRISTMAS
How about an Iowa version of Twelve Days of Christmas? It might go like this:
A cold Herky in a bare tree
Two cars crashing
Three moonlit nights
Four feet of snow
Five prairie gold Molines
Six neighbors caroling
Ten runners running
Eleven deer a leaping
Twelve boxcars banging
Have a few ideas of your own for an Iowa version of this song? Send them along
and I'll offer them to other readers in a future column. Or add yours at the Bill's Bookmart page on Facebook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's Coffee House. Published since 2000, the Newsletter is written by Tom Gilsenan, a former manager of Wild Bill's and now director of Uptown Bill's. You can write to him at tomgilsenan@gmail.com
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. It has been a part of campus life in Iowa City for more than 35 years. Located in North Hall, the coffeeshop is open weekdays from 8 am. For more information, check the Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop page on Facebook. You can call the coffeeshop at (319) 335-1281. Donations to support the work of the coffeeshop may be sent to: Bill's Coffeeshop Fund, University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, IA 52244. Contributions are tax deductible.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of Wild Bill's. Now in its 11th year, it includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Located at 730 S. Dubuque, Uptown Bill's is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am. For more information, check the Uptown Bill's website or Facebook page. You can call Uptown Bill's at (319) 339-0804. Donations to support the work of Uptown Bill's may be sent to: Extend the Dream Foundation, Uptown Bill's, 730 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Contributions are tax deductible.
--
In the spirit of Bill Sackter, Uptown Bill's strives to nurture and encourage a gathering place where people of all abilities are welcome. Find us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Watch us on You Tube: www.youtube.com/playlist?p=PLEE41220297F8D82C
Visit our web page: www.uptownbills.org
posted by Tom Gilsenan @ 2:48 PM
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