Boys at the Book Club

So Wifey has been in a local book club for years now, and it's infamous as a book club because the ladies rarely read the book that's assigned.  Rather, they take turns hosting lunches for each other --typically at local restaurants like Ghee, or Blackpoint Marina.  They really enjoy each other's company -- the number of the members range up to 7, and one, Jodi, is a snow bird now who summers in Maine.

Last month, one of the members turned 70, and the book club members and we, their husbands, were invited to a surprise party.  We all had a nice time together  -- Bob, Larry, Mark, and I are all retired or nearly so lawyers, and we had lots in common.

It was Ann's turn to host, and she asked whether instead of a lunch, she could host a dinner, and would the boys come?  We would.

I left Brickell early, to fetch Dr. Barry at the Lowe Museum at UM -- he was hosting a residents' retreat.  I pulled up to watch them take the photos -- the young docs looked to me like they were in high school -- Barry assured me they were at least 26.  We drove past the location of the apartment building we lived in together for nearly 3 years. Alas, Building 22 is now a high rise parking lot. What are ya gonna do?

We parked outside Titanic, which was KC Cagney's fern bar when we were in college, and had a few adult beverages. Barry didn't know the place was originally the Flick Coffeehouse, a legendary venue where Joni Mitchell was "discovered" by David Crosby (he took her back to his sailboat moored in the Grove, and they hung together before heading to LA), and Jimmy Buffet was lured from Mississippi to play there, was delayed, and then went to Key West where the rest is musical history.

We caught up on matters children -- his boy Scott, my non blood nephew, is starting an awesome internship at 30 Rock, and they found a great NIT dorm on the Upper West Side for him. And then he'll be a senior, and ready to graduate next year at this time.

Younger brother Josh has been traveling and posting his own version of Diners, Dives, and Drive -ins on FaceBook -- T bone steaks at 10 am, hot dogs also early, and wee hour Chick Filet -- all around Atlanta.  I told Barry many FaceBook readers comment that they wish to be Josh when they grow up -- but my new healthy diet, ordered by my Ds, prevents me from being in that number.

I dropped Barry at MetroRail, for his trip back to JMH and then home, and I came home, calling Wifey, who was upstairs, and telling her I was caught in traffic and would need to meet her at the dinner.  She came downstairs and shrieked -- she thought I was being serious -- and then we left for Mark and Ann's.

They were lovely hosts -- a big iced bucket of wine, beer, and Tito's -- to keep and enhance my Friday afternoon buzz.  The ladies gathered, and we 4 dudes caught up -- talking about crucial things like sports.

Ann is a gourmet cook, and the meal was delicious.  We shared tales of meeting -- two of the couples met in the 60s, but Mark and Ann started dating in their 50s -- second marriages for both. I was by FAR the youngest one there -- most of the folks had me by 15 years or so, but I'm used to that role -- my siblings are 13 and 16 years older than I, and I spent my childhood listening to the talk of those of an older generation.

A lot of the talk was about grandkids -- they're all VERY involved -- picking up the kids while the busy parents are focused on careers -- and loving the role intensely.  I thought how lucky those kids are -- having grandparents so involved in their lives.

That wasn't in the cards for me -- nor for Wifey, but for tragic reasons -- all her grandparents were killed by the Nazis.

At around 10:30, we headed for home.  I think the Book Club enjoyed the Boys. We may even reprise the event -- after the Summer travel season passes.  And who knows -- the presence of the Y chromosomes might even actually share a book.