Making Life A Place Where We Know Each Other’s Name
Guest Writer: Larry Burton
“They won’t let me wait tables anymore, but I can do this.”
We were with MK’s sister and her husband at a Wisconsin Supper Club called “The Butterfly,” named for the butterflies common in the area. Like all “real” supper clubs in Wisconsin, the menu was heavy on beef and almost void of vegetarian offerings. The décor was just this side of elegant; the tables were draped in white, and a small light flickered in the middle. The bar was large—of course, this is Wisconsin—and a large deck overlooked beautiful grounds.
We arrived at 4:30 on a Friday night—the only night the restaurant did not accept reservations. We were first in line, but many others took the invitation to visit the bar seriously. The room filled quickly, but the noise level stayed low. This was a positive for this hearing-impaired elder.
The woman clearing plates was clearly older than the young people who took orders and delivered food. She was attractive and engaging. “I’m 90 and have been working here for more than 50 years. I just love it and don’t ever want to leave.” She certainly had our attention as she shared the good news about the glorious ice cream desserts awaiting the lucky diner.
For better or worse, the days of 50-year tenure with one employer are long gone. Yet one cannot help but smile at the thought of all the friendships and experiences that made up that woman’s time there. There was also a sense that this supper club was a community not just for employees but for locals as well…especially on a Friday night. Say what you will about Wisconsin’s liquor consumption, its supper clubs still seem to serve a purpose.
Remember the opening jingle of the TV series “Cheers?” It included “where everybody knows your name.” Clearly, that is not the case for most of us, who have a place where we are recognized and accepted. In this time of division, it would be nice. That 90-year-old woman clearing our table made us feel that way, if only briefly. We hope to go back, and my agenda is to tell her how much she made my day.
Blessings.
Larry Burton
Madison, Wisconsin
Joanna joannaseibert.com