Social Events: Introduction

 

                                                 Social Events

Introduction


The sun was just about to set when I went out to take a stroll through the neighborhood, not just for exercise, but also to enjoy the fine weather and perhaps to greet a few of my long-time neighbors who might be doing lawn work or, like myself, just out for an evening walk. As I walked, my thoughts kept jumping back to the events of the night before, when I had attended a small formal dinner party that had been given for me on the occasion of my retirement. Being something of an introvert, I had hoped to retire without fanfare, but I wound up having not only the usual office retirement party, but also that dinner party. I had attended many office parties over the years, because it was a tradition that, whenever anyone left the organizational branch - whether through promotion, transfer, resignation or retirement - a party would be given for him. It was considered a slight breach of etiquette to cut one of these parties, or the annual Christmas party. I did, however, turn down invitations to a dinner, honoring contributors to a particular charity, and to one honoring a volunteer group to which I belonged. One of my colleagues, far more extroverted than I, attended all of the office parties and belonged to several social groups, each of which met on a regular basis in the various homes of the members. Often, on the morning after one of these get-togethers, he would come to work, upset about an argument that had occurred the night before. I thought it was mildly amusing that, after a few drinks, the social taboos about discussing politics, religion, and sex, went by the boards; and I was amazed that his penchant for partying remained unabated in spite of these conflicts. But again, I am an introvert.

As these thoughts drifted through my mind, the setting sun caught and illuminated the leaves in the top of a maple tree, just starting to turn a bit yellow in the early days of autumn. The evening air was dry and beginning to develop a little chill, or so it seemed to my bare arms. The fragrant odor of a charcoal grill settled over me, and I thought, "It won't be long before it will be too cool for that". In a few weeks the dogwood leaves would be bright red, and after that the variegated leaves of the gums and the silver maples would reach their peak. Then there would be weeks of raking. It seemed a shame, in a way, that burning leaves was no longer permitted. It had been a kind of symbol for autumn since childhood. Since childhood - in my imagination I could smell the smoke from the small piles of leaves that burned on the street curbs in our neighborhood in southeast Roanoke, while I cavorted with my playmates in the cool air at dusk.

I thought, "In those days, during the depression, people didn't party as they do today. They couldn't afford to." But then I began to recall the modest social events that they did have. Most of them were a kind of joint activity that resulted in a product, like making a quilt or apple butter, or threshing; but some were just for fun, like sing-a-longs or ice cream suppers. I am going to tell you about some of these get-togethers, but bear in mind that I observed them then through the eyes of a child, and I look back on them now through the rosecolored glasses of nostalgia.

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