Singing the Coffeehouse Blues by Carol Wells
Sometimes it is clear on what a contract will, or will not, provide. Some benefits may not be part of the contract but a side result of signing on the dotted line. Perhaps, in hindsight, Carol should have negotiated for singing lessons being included as part of the contractual agreement.
I was naturally ecstatic when receiving notification, in March 2001, on being one of the people selected to write content for WebSeed Publishing Network. My husband took our son and I out for a celebratory dinner.
What I did not know, at the time of signing the contract, is that we would discover a side employee benefit. Fellow former WebSeed content editors can stop looking through the fine print because the contract did not list this particular side benefit of working for WebSeed. I wish I could say that it is in section such-a-such or clause number whatever.
"What is this exciting discovery of yours," some of you may be wondering. I discovered the side benefit of convenient excuses to frequent local coffee shops, particularly ones inside the bookstores!
At first, this may not sound like much of a contractual benefit but I find it blissfully relaxing to sit at a table surrounded by books, paper, and pens while armed with a large mug of coffee! (Especially given that you do not have to clean the coffeepot or mug afterward.)
This side benefit was not limited exclusionary to only me - the person whose signature appeared at the bottom of the contract - as these casual jaunts sometimes turned into family outings. My son's home library almost doubled in size due to these frequent "Let's visit the bookstore coffee shop" excursions.
Even at the age of three, my son enjoys reading plus meeting people. Frank, when joining us on these outings, sometimes became indecisive whether to thrust his chest in parental pride or turn three shades of red with embarrassment.
See, as a toddler, our son liked to make his first impression memorable with others. He would greet people by imitating Clifford, The Big Red Dog. He panted while wagging his invisible tail and woofed happily at anyone who would smile or just look curiously his way. He would even pause for potential pats on the head, from those willing to play along with the pretend game, and an occasional compliment of "Good puppy!"
When our pretend Clifford would start trying to do doggie tricks in the coffee shop, my husband would set aside the magazine he had been reading with a sigh while standing up to reclaim our 'Big Red Puppy'. "I'm sorry, he's a big Clifford cartoon fan," offered as a combination explanation, excuse, and apology to the bewildered coffee shop patrons. Frank then would buy a sugar cookie 'doggie treat' as a bribe for the 'puppy' to stay at our table.
Our son even received tips during one of these coffee shop outings! Allow me to share how that happened.
One night the local bookstore scheduled a man to perform the blues for the clientele. Suddenly the entertainer found himself having a back-up singer: my son! I do not know if the gentleman felt even slightly appreciative of this impromptu event as the little tyke inherited not only my love of books but also my inability to carry a tune.
He smiled, once or twice, at my son but for the most part the musician tried to continue, and remain, a solo act. My youngster's off-key attempt did not have the audience objecting either as a few chuckled or smiled his way plus a handful of people even handing him a penny or two. This little pile of pennies only helped encourage my son to continue his freestyle singing of the blues in hopes of acquiring even more pennies.
To prevent my son from cutting into the singer's side profits, as he had a hat set out with a small sign saying "Tips", I took one last sip of coffee before exiting discreetly as possible. Discretion proved difficult as, the entire way to the car, my son continued to wail the blues about "a woman who had done him wrong"'. I felt so guilty since I knew the woman in the song: me.
About The Author:
© 1999-2006 Carol Wells
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