9.

"When Irish Hearts are Happy"

I am surrounded by Celtic music, just like that.

Before leaving for New York, I ran all over town picking up stuff and tying up loose ends. I went to Safeway to get some food to leave for the house-sitter, seeing as all I had in the house was the weirdo stuff I like. I bought her frozen pizza and ravolis, stuff for rootbeer floats and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but as I was driving home I realized that I didn’t have any pasta sauce. I didn’t want to go back to Safeway but didn’t feel good about the sauce situation, so I stopped in at the Rincon Market. I was in power walk, super errand mode but stopped dead in my tracks, frozen in the doorway. The entire place was a-fiddle. I ran over to the deli counter, only to find out that they practice there every other Tuesday night. And they are fantastic. They are toe-tapping, bop in your chair good.

Mid-song the leader, I think his name is Michael, throws back his head and yells things like “pick it up!” or “one more!” During the breaks he calls across the circle, asking various band members how they’re feeling and what they would like to play—“Richard, pick one!” "'The Irish WasherWoman' it is." There are fiddles and mandolins and violins and guitars and I couldn’t be happier.

And now they’re singing. Just when you think life can’t get any better, the Irish folk start singing.