Sunday, October 14, 2007

My Banter Buddy

Last night I was at a cocktail-dinner 'do with friends (mostly from Atlanta) who had spent the week attending a Theatre and Theology course at General Seminary. The class is an annual event that involves seeing three Broadway plays/musicals, guest speakers (the year I went, Sam Waterston spent a couple of hours with our class), lectures/discussions, and slipping into rehearsal halls for question-answer sessions with cast members. A fabulous experience. After all, theatre-folk are very spiritual people, though not necessarily the church-going, mainline-religion kind.

Anyway, amidst the Atlanta crowd at the party were a couple of New Yorkers, one of whom teaches the class with my friend Harry (who blessed my apartment a few months ago). Jay is a cynical New York arts-loving kind of guy who just brings out the best in me. Whenever we get together we engage in rapid-fire, hilarious (to us) conversation that leaves us both in stitches. He makes fun of me - I throw it back at him. Somewhere in the middle we switch sides of our "argument" and keep going.

It's very satisfying to spend time with Jay. Don't know why we don't get together more often. We're both in New York, for goodness' sake. Still, I know if I ever need a dose of rip-roaring cynicism and witty (um, to us) banter, I can call on Jay. On the other hand, I'm sure a little goes a long way for both of us, and maybe we wouldn't be as funny together if we saw each other all the time.

3 comments:

Liz Hinds said...

"It's very satisfying to spend time with Jay. Don't know why we don't get together more often."

Hm, indeed, sounds like a nice guy. Is he cute?

MaryB said...

Um, yeah, but gay. (Thus, the Will and Grace photo.) I hardly know any funny, satisfying straight guys (who aren't really old or married - or both)! ;-)

chux said...

I didn't know that Americans could do the banter thing. I always thought you guys took yourselves too seriously to allow anyone to insult you in the name of humour. I know that sounds narrow minded of me, but I am pleasantly surprised to hear you guys using snappy retorts and insults as humour between friends. Is this a New York thing do you think?

I've always held to the view that we shouldnt take ourselves too seriously. Also if someone starts taking the mickey out of us, we have the right to do the same back at them.