Last weekend, I worked at a Beautiful Hotel. That sat very close to the Lake. It was a gorgeous afternoon and went into early evening banquet serving. It was held outside in a huge outdoor pavilion. The theme was JAMES BOND!! Orchestrated an event that displayed a collection of beautiful, old and new sports cars, that drove right up to the bandstand.
As Banquet servers we were dressed in our bowties and all-black shirt and black pants and black shoes. We looked great! However, the twenty people we served, half men and half women, were dressed to the Nines!! And at the end of the hotel’s driveway they had set it up as a kitchen. The Chef at the hotel would come to our station with Cavier and Cream Fraiche, Tartlets, Edible Spoons filled with meat and cheeses. And on and on and on beautiful masterful Hors D’oeuvre. That followed with bottle after bottle of Champagne that we carried on trays, and the quest would take a glass or Hors D’oeuvre.
That evening was warm for early September. All of our servers, including the quests, were enjoying so much, the music, the cars, the view of the water and the smell of so many great Hors D’oeuvres. I would head back with an empty tray. And one of the guy servers would grab my hand twirl me around, and we would dance just like the people in the tent were dancing. We danced all night with our empty trays and tried to sneak bites of the fancy Hors D’oeuvre.
There wasn’t one moment in the hours spent I thought of nothing but having fun, eating, and dancing, and then at the end one of my fellow banquet servers, Tim, threw a dishrag at me and said, ”Were the lucky ones. We got clean up.” We both did thumb downs. Party was over for us. I was washing the dishes, and he was drying and stacking them up for the Chef inside the hotel to pick up. The Chef had just walked by, wanting to know what was taking so long.”
”All right, all right,” said Tim cursing under his breath. Tim had been telling me that he couldn’t drive without a special ignition interlock device to be installed in the vehicles of convicted Drunk Drivers. Sadness washed over me. Tim was just a kid. ”The devices would lock up if the driver tries to go anywhere while intoxicated,”Tim said. ”They make me blow into a mouthpiece before I can start the car.” Tim said bitterly. Electronic monitoring, they call it.” ”Oh shit, Tim. I’m sorry.” ”Oh no, my life sucks right now. I got my girlfriend pregnant. At least she says it is me.”
The Chef came picked up the kitchen dishes. Finally, the party was over and Hotel quiet, as the night was late, and I could tell Tim wanted to talk. Tonight was the first time we had worked together, so we sat on the curb outside the Hotel, waiting for his ride.
It wasn’t long before and older car with scratches and dings drove up to the curb. The woman inside looked like it might be his Mother. We both got up off the curb. Tim shrugged and smiles at me. I nodded. I smiled. Tim gave me a nod and got in the car.
From an exciting day to a reality for Tim.