THE BAR
~~~~~~~~~
The bar/restaurant was crowded, but a table was found for the six of them in the middle of the dining area. A stage was set at the back of the room, where a young man was bawling out a rendition of 'You sexy thing' by Tom Jones. The server took their drink order and they settled into their seats reading the menus. Cassandra was practically bouncing in her chair and once deciding what she wanted to eat picked up the folder containing the list of songs for the karaoke. Sam sat back in her chair and watched the young man finishing off the song. She smiled at his dance moves, which were as bad as his singing. She guessed he knew it and was the type of character who could not really care less as long as he and everyone else were enjoying themselves. Sam applauded as he finished, along with the crowd who were whooping and whistling as he took a bow and exited the stage. Leaning forward, she addressed Cassie who was reaming through the pages.
"So Cass what are you going to sing first?"
"I dunno, I don't know half these songs."
"Well think of a song you know and enjoy singing and find it in the index, or alternatively, turn to the back and find the singer of your choice and see which of their songs are listed"
"Cool ok." She turned to the back of the file and started running her finger over the names.
"What about you Sam, what are you planning on singing?" asked Janet who was sitting opposite her friend, in-between her daughter and Tealc.
Sam tapped her finger on the end of her nose
"Wait and see Janet, wait and see. What about yourself"
Janet snorted, and stifled a giggle.
"Oh please, I came here to see my daughter have a good time. Wild horses wouldn't drag me up on that stage"
"Oh come on Janet, I persuaded Jack to get up there. If he's gonna sing, you are. I'm sure you can sing great, gotta be better than Jack," said Daniel, who sat beside Sam and had leaned forward in order to join in with the conversation
Sam sat back and smiled as Janet blushed softly from Daniel's compliment and gaze. Jack slipped an arm over the back of Sam's chair, smiled a knowing smile also, and decided to step things up a little.
"Yeah and you know you don't have to get up there by yourself. Daniel was pretty enthusiastic about getting on up there, maybe you two could sing a duet"
It was Sam turn to stifle a giggle; she pressed a hand quickly to her lips, and nudged Jack softly with her elbow before. She averted Janet's glare and turned her attention to the server who had arrived with the drinks. She slipped the fruit cocktail from Janet, and slid her own martini to her friend.
"Why don't you have a drink tonight. It may help loosen you up. I'll drive us home"
"Oh Sam I couldn't" replied Janet pushing the drink back to the middle of the table.
"Live a little Janet," said Daniel sliding the drink back to her, their fingers touching for a moment as Janet complied and rested her fingers around the stem of the glass.
Tealc and Cassandra were also drinking fruit cocktail concoctions. Daniel had a dry white wine and Jack had a beer. Tealc would be driving the van home. They ordered their meals and Cassandra finally settled on a song. Sam showed her how to fill out a form, which they could get the server to hand in for them, and wrote her own request. She asked the others if they wanted to add any songs, but they declined for a moment. Sam figured it would take Janet a few more drinks before she agreed, and was determined to ask Daniel how he had changed Jack's mind about singing on the karaoke. When she had told him about the proposed trip to the bar, Jack had been somewhat un-enthusiastic at the prospect agreeing only because of Cassandra. The server took their form, and she settled back to listen to the draw out original version of 'American Pie' being sung by a young man and woman who she thought had had one two many drinks at this time of the evening. She grinned however and settled into the easy laid back party mood atmosphere. She for one loved karaoke bars and had visited them often when she was younger and when the bars had just started to become a craze. Her mom had been an exceptional singer and had dragged herself and the rest of her family into singing many a song, some of which she planned to sing tonight.
Jack sighed and took a drink of his beer as he absorbed the loud slightly crazed atmosphere of the bar. The crowd were eating, cheering or robustly dancing at the singing and antics of the people on stage. He could not for the life understand why people went crazy over such antics. He loved a good laugh as much as the next person but proving to a crowd how well you couldn't sing wasn't exactly his idea of a good time. He could be wrong however, judging by how badly the couple on stage were killing a perfectly decent song and being egged on by their peers, people obviously thought the worse you were the better cheers you would receive. He had rarely visited karaoke bars, certainly never had came near them when they had become a craze in the eighties, the thought of his parents actually taking the time to come to such a place made him grin. How could he be so much unlike his parents? He had had a good childhood but god did his parents need a hit with the sense of humour stick. He had often mused on the wonderment of where he had actually derived his sarcastic sense of humour and figured his older brother and grandparents had had a good part in instilling the importance of a good sense of humour. His grandfather had had a quicker, sharper tongue than his own and his grandmother even more so, each of them sparring in a loving way which had he and his brother in fits of laughter every time they had stayed. Cassie sat forward and interrupted his thought.
"When do we get to sing then?"
"They'll call your name at some point Cass" replied Sam, who looked as impatient as the young girl did. Jack wondered what they were planning on singing.
"So Cass what song are you going to serenade us with?"
"Happy Birthday" he heard Sam mumble under her breath, he moved his hand from the back of her chair to her waist and nipped her softly. Sam jumped slightly from the touch and took a drink of the cocktail in front of her smiling widely.
"It's a surprise" replied Cassie not noticing the small nudge between the two.
"Well aren't you two a pair." smiled Jack "Guess I'll have to look through and choose a song myself"
"You are seriously considering singing O'Neill?"
"Yea Tealc, I'm not gonna let flyboy here get one over on me. I'd never live it down"
"I was un-aware this was a competition. Maybe I should apply also"
"You know any songs your willing to sing in front of this crowd T?"
"I know many songs O'Neill. However I do not believe these people will want to hear them"
"Well I'm sure at some point we would be glad to hear oof some of your native songs T, however I don't think this is the type of place to share them"
"I was un-aware the sex pistols and metallica were native songs O'Neill"
Jack spluttered on his drink as did Daniel and five sets of eyes were placed on the Jaffa, a smile nearly piercing his stoic gaze.
"You are kidding. You listen to metallica and the sex pistols."
"I have found earth music of every genre very 'interesting' to listen too. They are just two I have settled on in being very, 'interesting'"
"Not the type of music to relax during meditation but whatever floats your boat"
"On the contrary O'Neill I find them very good for meditation."
"You do?" asked Daniel disbelivingly
"Yes DanielJackson, I find having such loud, 'interesting' music playing during meditation helps me go into deeper a deep state of meditation pushing the sound out."
"In other words it's an incentive to definitely make sure you get a good meditation"
Tealc bowed his head in agreement.
"I feel the urge to enter into mediation as we speak"
He smiled a broad smile and sat back. Jack looked impressed at his friend's joke, as did the others who all chuckled and laughed. Cassandra looked like she had ants in her pants, and Jack considered going over to the stage himself and tries to get the organisers to push her name up the list. The chit-chat continued mainly over whom out of Daniel and Jack was going to get up to sing first. Daniel insisting Jack did, Jack insisting that Daniel was too on account he had been prepared in the first place and he was undecided on which song to sing. Sam and Janet rolled their eyes to each other and sighed watching the next person on stage, a young woman in her thirties singing Gloria Gaynors 'I will survive' finally a decent singer. The woman had good voice and the men of the crowd were certainly impressed by her looks as well as some of the women. Sam found herself singing along with the young woman and even saw Janet's lips twitching to the music.
~~~~~~~~~
The bar/restaurant was crowded, but a table was found for the six of them in the middle of the dining area. A stage was set at the back of the room, where a young man was bawling out a rendition of 'You sexy thing' by Tom Jones. The server took their drink order and they settled into their seats reading the menus. Cassandra was practically bouncing in her chair and once deciding what she wanted to eat picked up the folder containing the list of songs for the karaoke. Sam sat back in her chair and watched the young man finishing off the song. She smiled at his dance moves, which were as bad as his singing. She guessed he knew it and was the type of character who could not really care less as long as he and everyone else were enjoying themselves. Sam applauded as he finished, along with the crowd who were whooping and whistling as he took a bow and exited the stage. Leaning forward, she addressed Cassie who was reaming through the pages.
"So Cass what are you going to sing first?"
"I dunno, I don't know half these songs."
"Well think of a song you know and enjoy singing and find it in the index, or alternatively, turn to the back and find the singer of your choice and see which of their songs are listed"
"Cool ok." She turned to the back of the file and started running her finger over the names.
"What about you Sam, what are you planning on singing?" asked Janet who was sitting opposite her friend, in-between her daughter and Tealc.
Sam tapped her finger on the end of her nose
"Wait and see Janet, wait and see. What about yourself"
Janet snorted, and stifled a giggle.
"Oh please, I came here to see my daughter have a good time. Wild horses wouldn't drag me up on that stage"
"Oh come on Janet, I persuaded Jack to get up there. If he's gonna sing, you are. I'm sure you can sing great, gotta be better than Jack," said Daniel, who sat beside Sam and had leaned forward in order to join in with the conversation
Sam sat back and smiled as Janet blushed softly from Daniel's compliment and gaze. Jack slipped an arm over the back of Sam's chair, smiled a knowing smile also, and decided to step things up a little.
"Yeah and you know you don't have to get up there by yourself. Daniel was pretty enthusiastic about getting on up there, maybe you two could sing a duet"
It was Sam turn to stifle a giggle; she pressed a hand quickly to her lips, and nudged Jack softly with her elbow before. She averted Janet's glare and turned her attention to the server who had arrived with the drinks. She slipped the fruit cocktail from Janet, and slid her own martini to her friend.
"Why don't you have a drink tonight. It may help loosen you up. I'll drive us home"
"Oh Sam I couldn't" replied Janet pushing the drink back to the middle of the table.
"Live a little Janet," said Daniel sliding the drink back to her, their fingers touching for a moment as Janet complied and rested her fingers around the stem of the glass.
Tealc and Cassandra were also drinking fruit cocktail concoctions. Daniel had a dry white wine and Jack had a beer. Tealc would be driving the van home. They ordered their meals and Cassandra finally settled on a song. Sam showed her how to fill out a form, which they could get the server to hand in for them, and wrote her own request. She asked the others if they wanted to add any songs, but they declined for a moment. Sam figured it would take Janet a few more drinks before she agreed, and was determined to ask Daniel how he had changed Jack's mind about singing on the karaoke. When she had told him about the proposed trip to the bar, Jack had been somewhat un-enthusiastic at the prospect agreeing only because of Cassandra. The server took their form, and she settled back to listen to the draw out original version of 'American Pie' being sung by a young man and woman who she thought had had one two many drinks at this time of the evening. She grinned however and settled into the easy laid back party mood atmosphere. She for one loved karaoke bars and had visited them often when she was younger and when the bars had just started to become a craze. Her mom had been an exceptional singer and had dragged herself and the rest of her family into singing many a song, some of which she planned to sing tonight.
Jack sighed and took a drink of his beer as he absorbed the loud slightly crazed atmosphere of the bar. The crowd were eating, cheering or robustly dancing at the singing and antics of the people on stage. He could not for the life understand why people went crazy over such antics. He loved a good laugh as much as the next person but proving to a crowd how well you couldn't sing wasn't exactly his idea of a good time. He could be wrong however, judging by how badly the couple on stage were killing a perfectly decent song and being egged on by their peers, people obviously thought the worse you were the better cheers you would receive. He had rarely visited karaoke bars, certainly never had came near them when they had become a craze in the eighties, the thought of his parents actually taking the time to come to such a place made him grin. How could he be so much unlike his parents? He had had a good childhood but god did his parents need a hit with the sense of humour stick. He had often mused on the wonderment of where he had actually derived his sarcastic sense of humour and figured his older brother and grandparents had had a good part in instilling the importance of a good sense of humour. His grandfather had had a quicker, sharper tongue than his own and his grandmother even more so, each of them sparring in a loving way which had he and his brother in fits of laughter every time they had stayed. Cassie sat forward and interrupted his thought.
"When do we get to sing then?"
"They'll call your name at some point Cass" replied Sam, who looked as impatient as the young girl did. Jack wondered what they were planning on singing.
"So Cass what song are you going to serenade us with?"
"Happy Birthday" he heard Sam mumble under her breath, he moved his hand from the back of her chair to her waist and nipped her softly. Sam jumped slightly from the touch and took a drink of the cocktail in front of her smiling widely.
"It's a surprise" replied Cassie not noticing the small nudge between the two.
"Well aren't you two a pair." smiled Jack "Guess I'll have to look through and choose a song myself"
"You are seriously considering singing O'Neill?"
"Yea Tealc, I'm not gonna let flyboy here get one over on me. I'd never live it down"
"I was un-aware this was a competition. Maybe I should apply also"
"You know any songs your willing to sing in front of this crowd T?"
"I know many songs O'Neill. However I do not believe these people will want to hear them"
"Well I'm sure at some point we would be glad to hear oof some of your native songs T, however I don't think this is the type of place to share them"
"I was un-aware the sex pistols and metallica were native songs O'Neill"
Jack spluttered on his drink as did Daniel and five sets of eyes were placed on the Jaffa, a smile nearly piercing his stoic gaze.
"You are kidding. You listen to metallica and the sex pistols."
"I have found earth music of every genre very 'interesting' to listen too. They are just two I have settled on in being very, 'interesting'"
"Not the type of music to relax during meditation but whatever floats your boat"
"On the contrary O'Neill I find them very good for meditation."
"You do?" asked Daniel disbelivingly
"Yes DanielJackson, I find having such loud, 'interesting' music playing during meditation helps me go into deeper a deep state of meditation pushing the sound out."
"In other words it's an incentive to definitely make sure you get a good meditation"
Tealc bowed his head in agreement.
"I feel the urge to enter into mediation as we speak"
He smiled a broad smile and sat back. Jack looked impressed at his friend's joke, as did the others who all chuckled and laughed. Cassandra looked like she had ants in her pants, and Jack considered going over to the stage himself and tries to get the organisers to push her name up the list. The chit-chat continued mainly over whom out of Daniel and Jack was going to get up to sing first. Daniel insisting Jack did, Jack insisting that Daniel was too on account he had been prepared in the first place and he was undecided on which song to sing. Sam and Janet rolled their eyes to each other and sighed watching the next person on stage, a young woman in her thirties singing Gloria Gaynors 'I will survive' finally a decent singer. The woman had good voice and the men of the crowd were certainly impressed by her looks as well as some of the women. Sam found herself singing along with the young woman and even saw Janet's lips twitching to the music.
