… And let it begin with LaMoine. This is monumental for the start of 2014. Not quite as big as when Grant and Lee met at Appomattox. The white flag was flown Friday night at the opening of the new Beef ‘O Brady’s at 69th and Western in Sioux Falls. (I had falsely reported that it would be on 41st Street.)
Gay, Georgia, Esther, Arlene B. and myself set off Friday after work for some much needed girl time and an over-nighter with Janet and Pam. We picked up Esther and I had urged her to pack and be ready to roll. She indicated a change of clothes was in order, so we waited in the vehicle for her, and waited, and waited … I am always impatient but Gay finally said, “What is she doing in there, baking a cake?”
By the time we arrived at the opening, Georgia had already spilled red wine down the front of her beige sweater. She shook it off easily ‘cuz she’s used to the coffee spills she suffers on a daily basis. So reckless, that California girl.
Our group settled in to menu choices – I opted for steak nachos (excellent). Bloody Marys were up to my standards. The bathroom was straight out of Star Trek, touch free soap, water and a blue light to dry your hands. (A poor little 5-year-old girl and I had searched fruitlessly for the paper towel dispenser.)
I had been alerted to the fact that LaMoine (accompanied by his sweetheart of a wife, Barb) were sitting at the bar. Later, he would casually stroll over to my table and present me with a basket of chicken bones as a peace offering. I will give him credit for one uneaten chicken wing. I was tempted to eat it, but Georgia said he may have been carrying it under his armpit.
The thing I enjoy about LaMoine is that, like us, he doesn’t abide by polite dinner conversation. It was mentioned that maybe we would get him drunk and de-pants him. He responded, “Oh, you don’t have to get me drunk to do that.”
I extended my offer once again for him to stay with Claude (kinda like “Wife Swap” on TV). He suggested instead to send Barb and I could stay with him. I declined.
We parted with a hug and a promise in my ear that he would never, ever, ever write again in the paper. I, on the other hand, did not feel compelled to make that vow, since I considered myself the injured party. Ha!
Yip-pee yi-oh!
Dee Baby