A Short Era Ends

A Short Era Ends
A Haibun

Once every year, the rock club I belong to holds a show and sale at a local Fairgrounds.  This year, we celebrate sixty years of being an organization!  For years – each year –  a thank you dinner is held for the vendors who come to sell their wares.  Included in the dinner, are the club volunteers who help to do the work of putting on the show and sale.  The show and sale is held the last full weekend of February.  In 2017, the club allowed me the pleasure of planning the dinner.  This opportunity occurs once every year, usually on the last Friday of February.  I remember the first years that I planned the dinner; it was held in the basement of the venue where the show and sale was held.  What that meant is that food needed to be ordered and brought in from a caterer.  A caterer that did not deliver.  I remember picking up the meal from the local restaurant, transporting it in my Suburban to the fairgrounds, and getting it into the space we were going to use for the dinner – of course, with the help of club members.  The restaurant food was great.  Chicken, vegetables, rolls, and all of the things that go with those items.  We also had drinks – coffee, water, etc.  Without a liquor license, we had nothing with alcohol in it.

Once every year
Volunteer-vendor dinner
Once every year

Dessert was always a huge cake decorated with club logo, as well as the year defining the years that the club has been functioning.  Table coverings were the club colors.   Flameless candles, gems, ropes of blue, silver, and gold were spread over the tables.  A change came requiring that we find another venue for the dinner.  Wrigley’s Chicago Bar and Grill (owned by Paula) turned out to be the best location.  The venue has a large banquet room, large enough for our gathering.  And, there is no charge.  So, the next years were all scheduled to be held at Wrigley’s.  Again, the table decorations enlivened the room.  The full-sheet cake was decorated for the occasion.  Attendees enjoyed the activity; maybe, as much as I enjoyed the planning.  Then came COVID.  Full-sheet cakes were no longer allowed by the State’s health department, so cupcakes were substituted – individually decorated by the baker (Cakes by Karen).

What cake for this year?
What chocolates for the table?
What decorations?

It’s been eight years of pleasure planning the dinner.  But, now I am old.  It is time for someone younger to take the reins and plan the dinner.  He or she will inherit all of the decorations.  The flameless candles that must have the batteries loaded and, then, removed, each year.  The small plates for chocolates – if the new planner decides to have chocolates.  Leftover table coverings – of course, more may need to be purchased.   All of the decorations.  But, never – never glitter.  Paula does not want to clean up glitter from the tables and floor.

Who will plan next year?
I hope someone steps up soon
To plan this event.