A Company Dinner Kind of Date

A date, a date,

we went on a date. 

A company banquet 

for which we were nearly late. 

  At the WP Hotel at Two Waterfront Place we arrived,

all in one piece, my driving we survived.

We hastened to the banquet hall and into the food we did dive;

For we know that in eating, we all soon would thrive. 

Leo and I, no grill or canoe would we win,

but received gift cards to Red Lobster

for another date and even more grins.

                                         The view from Floor Nine at this glorious hotel;

with a scene such as this, I believe we'll stay for a spell.

Or at least until breakfast (served promptly at eight); 

from the looks of this tray, it was going to be great. 

 "Was it great?"you may ask,

and "Was it worth the wait?"

You be the judge…

just check out this fair plate.

 But all good mornings must come to a close,

and afternoon beckons and so do the rows.

Rows? What rows? Now let me do tell,

of a bookstore so wonderful, so glorious, so swell.

Among the books numbering a million

(or so the sign said),

we soon settled in to look for award winners

among the titles we read. 

                                                    Even the husband joined in the search,

drawn in by the titles

and not the research.

And what did he find so engrossing, so gripping?

I was sure this was more than just a newspaper clipping. 

What are you reading dear husband of mine,

looking so sweet, so refined and dignified.

Not Dr. Suess, or a Caldecott Winner,

but a Junie B. Jones (I really should've known). 

For this was a favorite of our children when younger

and not a surprise that it caused him to linger. 

But then I smelled coffee 

as we made our way to the counter,

paid for our novels and continued our banter.

He got his plain with just a little whipped cream,

I got a dark chocolate mocha…oh this must be a dream. 

We got back in the car and traveled the hills,

nose pointed homeward;

back to the chill and the bills.

For everyday life resumed once again,

but a date, yes a date makes it all much less insane. 

The moral of this tale goes something like this:

 Take some time with your spouse, to renew and revive, 

to talk and to laugh, dance a waltz or a jive. 

And if what it takes is a company dinner,

don't turn it down, it's sure to be a winner. 

Love,

Dianne