After 60 years

Day 4 of 31 at TWT

As soon as we sat down, the waitress started coming around the table to unfold our napkins and place them on our laps.  Wow, I've definitely never been to a restaurant as fancy as this!  When she put down the menus, there were at least 2-3 unfamiliar words in each item description. "Do you recognize that beautiful couple?" she asked with a wink, opening the menus in front of Husband's grandparents.  "Ohhh!" squealed his Grandmommy, laughing as she recognized her own wedding picture from 60 years ago.

the special menu insert

While we enjoyed some bread and waited on our appetizers, the waitress came back with a platter of complimentary hors d'oeuvres, in honor of the special couple.  The small private room (at no charge since Husband's grandparents are loyal customers) echoed with happy chatter until we finished our salads and soups.  A stunned silence fell over the room as the waitress started replacing our generic dinner tableware with specific forks and knives depending on our meals!  "You have to say something to cover up all this clanking silverware!" she joked.  I'm guessing everyone is as shocked as me to discover that there are different forks and knives for seafood meals, but doesn't want to say it out loud!

As our dinners were served, whispers crept around the room as we tried to figure out what all the side dishes and garnishes were.  Sides weren't listed with the main dishes on the menu... I think these are lentils?  Little did we know that once everyone was served, the waitress was going to officially announce every meal's components and preparation! 

In between exclamations about how delicious all the food was, we enjoyed stories from 60 years ago:  I learned that in the South (at least back then), the bride and groom cut the cake after the rehearsal dinner at a special "cake-cutting" celebration with the wedding party.  We heard stories from the wedding preparations, the wedding, and the honeymoon... followed by the cross-country trip the couple took to start their new life in California due to Husband's Granddaddy's army service.

When desserts came out, the waitress cheerily announced, "We couldn't let 60 years of wedded bliss go by without a little fanfare!" She presented their desserts on candlelit platters: "his" and "hers" blue and pink candles with white candles to represent the anniversary.  The manager of the restaurant stopped by to congratulate the honored couple.  "Do you have any advice for the rest of us?"  he asked.  "We're still trying to figure out how it works!" joked Husband's Granddaddy.

Throughout the night, they both kept remarking that they never could have dreamed 60 years ago that they'd be here now.

I hug Husband. Where might we be in 55 years?