I wanted to say thank you to the servers and chef’s out there who cook and serve our meals, and the host that greets me, the busboy (serving assistant I have been informed now days), dishwashers and floor managers. Thank you.
This past weekend I was on my feet for 3 days and remembered what it felt like years ago when I used to cook, wait tables, wash dishes, hosted, and bussed tables. My dogs were barking.
It started Friday; I attended the Texas wine and grape grower conference in Dallas at the lovely Renaissance hotel in Richardson just off 75 north. John Klugman, the general manager, is one of the finest operators in the hotel industry. I have known him for several years at different properties around the country and we are lucky to have him in Texas.
The food the hotel prepared and served during my stay was served prompt and of excellent quality. Several people around me took notice.
Well, back to my aching feet,
I walked the show and visited with the different product reps at their booths. It was one of their best attended conferences, according to one of the board members I know.
I was at the conference to give a presentation on when a winery should consider using a distributor. Mark Hyman from Llano Estacado winery and I teamed up for the presentation. Mark has been in the distribution business prior to heading up a winery.
I made it out without being pelted with tomatoes.
For the two days I attended the conference I was on my feet for 10 hours each day. It didn’t seem to be that long, but as I look back, it was probably longer. We flew back to Houston and I worked as a volunteer at the Houston Rodeo Uncorked wine and food tasting event Sunday afternoon and evening.
Volunteer check in was at 4 and check out was at 9:00pm. The event went by, just like the old days of working the floor, like a flash. I got to visit with old friends and taste some really good wines. It was over before I knew it. There never seems to be enough time. We made promises to see each other sooner rather than later. Promises I know will be hard to keep. If nothing else, we’ll see each other here next year. This is a fun event.
This morning I felt the pain, yes the wines were delicious, and probably distracted me from thinking about my feet, but this morning my feet were talking to me. They ached like the old days. I know, I have put on weight, and I need to trim back, but it was an old familiar pain from the past.
It reminded me of those old days of long hours of slicing and dicing, garnishing plates and seating guest. Those were some of the greatest times in my life.
Lifelong friendships were formed during those younger years. I met one of my old busboys from the 70′s on this trip and we got to swap stories and business cards, he’s now a residential real estate agent for Remax. We got to catch up with some of the gang and relive the old stories of dropping meals on guest and cursing the lousy tippers. You always remember the good tippers and the bad tippers.
My hat is off to the guys and gals who take care of me these days.
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February 23rd, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Nice note, Guy! Too often we forget to show our gratitude to people.