Dear Folks, Last evening after my niece Deb and I had a scrumptious dinner in a restaurant, I was so excited over the joy of the evening that I wanted to tell you everything that happened down to the taste of the last bite of our dinner. But since it was obvious to me that I would have droned on and on, I thought I'd just simmer down and wait until tonight. So this is how it all came about. This past Christmas Deb gave me a $25 gift certificate to apply toward a dinner at the Clarkson House in nearby Lewiston. It was the restaurant that the two of us always looked forward to eating there. But since the non-smoking ban of July 2003, we never went back (I smoke). Nonetheless, we felt that the restaurant would accommodate us if we ordered take-out. Late yesterday afternoon Deb called me and asked if I was in the mood for Clarkson House take-out. Oh was I ever! We discussed their new dinner menu and we decided on precisely what we wanted. It was up to me to call ahead and order our take-out. I called, asked whether they would be able to handle take-out and the receptionist assured me that they could. I then told her that the reason we were ordering take-out was because of the non-smoking policy state wide. She surprised me when she told me that there wouldn't be a smoking problem because they now have an outside patio where we could have dinner. Oh be still my heart! I immediately made reservations for the two of us out on the patio. Even at 6:00 in the evening the temperature was still well above 70 degrees and when Deb and I settled ourselves at a table on the patio the setting was just right. The table itself was nice and each table had a large umbrella over it. In a few moments a waiter came to our table and introduced himself. He was John. He placed our table setting with a small plate, silverware and a cloth napkin and then asked us if he could get us something to drink. It had been well over a year since I had the opportunity to order my special drink and I stuttered a bit. Deb spoke up and ordered my drink just the way I've always ordered it--a perfect bourbon Manhattan on the rocks with "your choice of fruit or vegetable." John wrote down the order as if it were a routine one. As we waited for our drinks, we watched the passing parade on Center Street in Lewiston. There were cars aplenty and there were people walking their dogs and there were people pushing baby strollers and pausing at a nearby bench to sit down and enjoy the warm spring evening. John brought our drinks to us and shortly afterward, a waitress appeared for some unknown reason and introduced herself. She was Charlene and she was so pleased we were back. Just to refresh our minds, she told us that she used to wait on us back when. Oh wow, Charlene actually remembered us! But right on her heals was another waitress who was the bartender. She couldn't wait to see us again. She told me that the minute the waiter ordered such a strange drink (including a vegetable of her choice), she just KNEW who we were! She had remembered! Oh what fun! Our waiter John continued to wait on us professionally but in the middle of our salad, we heard something shattering behind us. My instant comment was that I hoped that wasn't our dinner! No, the wind had picked up and sent one of the umbrellas toppling over and taking the table, chair and ashtray with it. When John returned shortly after, we pointed out the disaster and he hurried over to set up everything the way it was. By that time he had let us know that we were the first customers to sit on the patio. They had just finished it up the day before. We felt special. It wasn't long after that another umbrella toppled over and took the table, chair and ashtray with it. By that time John had informed John the manager that they had a problem out on the patio. John the Manager came out and John the Waiter introduced him to us as his boss. The manager shook our hands cordially and then we could see that he knew that the restaurant had a problem with the patio. In the midst of the chaos, John the waiter, served us precisely what we had ordered for dinner and it was delicious. At the appropriate time, he came back to ask us if everything was satisfactory. Yes it was but we pointed out to him that another umbrella had toppled over in the wind right behind us. By that time Deb and I were getting silly and we confessed to John that the reason we were there was to trash the new patio! His sense of humor was such that he laughed along with us. And from there, there were laughs and more laughs. It got to the point to where I spotted a customer (a stranger) coming out of the restaurant reaching for his cigarettes. I spoke up and suggested he pull up an ashtray and join us. He was taken by surprise but laughed. While he was on the patio smoking, we bandied a few funny comments with each other. By that time we had finished our dinner, John brought me my container of leftovers, and as much as we didn't want to leave, we did. On our way home, Deb and I commented over how delicious our dinner was, we still marveled over the employees who were obviously delighted to see us come back and especially the toppling over of the umbrellas and how funny it was to us. It's been a long time since I've had such fun and such a delicious dinner at a special restaurant. vee

Vee, it sounds like you went to Chicago for that meal. What a delight to read and am so glad the two of you had such an enjoyable evening. Wish I could help you have more. Love, Charles ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vee L. Housman" <housman@adelphia.net> To: <NYNIAGAR-FOLKS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:00 PM Subject: [FOLKS] A special dinner out > Dear Folks, > > Last evening after my niece Deb and I had a scrumptious dinner in a > restaurant, I was so excited over the joy of the evening that I wanted to > tell you everything that happened down to the taste of the last bite of > our dinner. But since it was obvious to me that I would have droned on > and on, I thought I'd just simmer down and wait until tonight. So this is > how it all came about. > > This past Christmas Deb gave me a $25 gift certificate to apply toward a > dinner at the Clarkson House in nearby Lewiston. It was the restaurant > that the two of us always looked forward to eating there. But since the > non-smoking ban of July 2003, we never went back (I smoke). Nonetheless, > we felt that the restaurant would accommodate us if we ordered take-out. > > Late yesterday afternoon Deb called me and asked if I was in the mood for > Clarkson House take-out. Oh was I ever! We discussed their new dinner > menu and we decided on precisely what we wanted. It was up to me to call > ahead and order our take-out. I called, asked whether they would be able > to handle take-out and the receptionist assured me that they could. I > then told her that the reason we were ordering take-out was because of the > non-smoking policy state wide. She surprised me when she told me that > there wouldn't be a smoking problem because they now have an outside patio > where we could have dinner. Oh be still my heart! I immediately made > reservations for the two of us out on the patio. > > Even at 6:00 in the evening the temperature was still well above 70 > degrees and when Deb and I settled ourselves at a table on the patio the > setting was just right. The table itself was nice and each table had a > large umbrella over it. In a few moments a waiter came to our table and > introduced himself. He was John. He placed our table setting with a > small plate, silverware and a cloth napkin and then asked us if he could > get us something to drink. It had been well over a year since I had the > opportunity to order my special drink and I stuttered a bit. Deb spoke up > and ordered my drink just the way I've always ordered it--a perfect > bourbon Manhattan on the rocks with "your choice of fruit or vegetable." > John wrote down the order as if it were a routine one. > > As we waited for our drinks, we watched the passing parade on Center > Street in Lewiston. There were cars aplenty and there were people walking > their dogs and there were people pushing baby strollers and pausing at a > nearby bench to sit down and enjoy the warm spring evening. > > John brought our drinks to us and shortly afterward, a waitress appeared > for some unknown reason and introduced herself. She was Charlene and she > was so pleased we were back. Just to refresh our minds, she told us that > she used to wait on us back when. Oh wow, Charlene actually remembered > us! But right on her heals was another waitress who was the bartender. > She couldn't wait to see us again. She told me that the minute the waiter > ordered such a strange drink (including a vegetable of her choice), she > just KNEW who we were! She had remembered! Oh what fun! > > Our waiter John continued to wait on us professionally but in the middle > of our salad, we heard something shattering behind us. My instant comment > was that I hoped that wasn't our dinner! No, the wind had picked up and > sent one of the umbrellas toppling over and taking the table, chair and > ashtray with it. When John returned shortly after, we pointed out the > disaster and he hurried over to set up everything the way it was. By that > time he had let us know that we were the first customers to sit on the > patio. They had just finished it up the day before. We felt special. > > It wasn't long after that another umbrella toppled over and took the > table, chair and ashtray with it. By that time John had informed John the > manager that they had a problem out on the patio. John the Manager came > out and John the Waiter introduced him to us as his boss. The manager > shook our hands cordially and then we could see that he knew that the > restaurant had a problem with the patio. > > In the midst of the chaos, John the waiter, served us precisely what we > had ordered for dinner and it was delicious. At the appropriate time, he > came back to ask us if everything was satisfactory. Yes it was but we > pointed out to him that another umbrella had toppled over in the wind > right behind us. > > By that time Deb and I were getting silly and we confessed to John that > the reason we were there was to trash the new patio! His sense of humor > was such that he laughed along with us. And from there, there were laughs > and more laughs. > > It got to the point to where I spotted a customer (a stranger) coming out > of the restaurant reaching for his cigarettes. I spoke up and suggested > he pull up an ashtray and join us. He was taken by surprise but laughed. > While he was on the patio smoking, we bandied a few funny comments with > each other. > > By that time we had finished our dinner, John brought me my container of > leftovers, and as much as we didn't want to leave, we did. > > On our way home, Deb and I commented over how delicious our dinner was, we > still marveled over the employees who were obviously delighted to see us > come back and especially the toppling over of the umbrellas and how funny > it was to us. > > It's been a long time since I've had such fun and such a delicious dinner > at a special restaurant. > vee >