Time Travel

               I’d never miss the annual fund-raising luncheon, held last week by the

ladies of the Order of the Eastern Star in the basement of the Masonic Temple at a village near here.  I did not take part in the card party, but showed up promptly at noon for the meal.  Knew no one but felt comfortable because there was lots of white hair in the room.

               A committee must have written out the procedures for serving this absolutely delicious menu a century ago,  and it’s clear no one’s ever seen any reason to change it.  Hope they never do.

Salad – a square of red jello made with canned fruit cocktail, on iceberg lettuce

                               assorted mini muffins -- margarine

Entrée – creamed chicken with canned peas and carrots, over biscuits

Dessert – Neapolitan three-flavor ice cream with vanilla wafers.

                               coffee -- good strong already-brewed tea

                    Okay, now shift gears!

               

So yesterday I attended a book fair luncheon in the city, not so much white hair in evidence, and here's the menu:

Entrée -- a large square white plate full of yuppie green stuff, topped with

     chicken, mandarin oranges, glazed walnuts and craisins.

                                         rolls -- margarine

Dessert -- macaroons and chocolate cake cut in diamond shapes.

                                iced tea.

I traveled at least a century in less than a week.