"WHO SHOT J.R.?"

 

(A very close facsimile of the Original cake, which was 14" across)

• Leah and I have been harking back to some “old” TV shows in the past little while, and just now we mentioned the “Who Shot J.R.?" episode that everybody in the audience was so avidly awaiting.   The seasons were different, then, in 1980 (yes it was 45 years ago), and usually consisted of 25 or 26 episodes, then re-runs for the off-season.  And the last season had ended with J.R. lying bleeding on the floor, with nary a glimpse of the culprit . 
• 
  
• 
  
• there in the dark

The plot was discussed in pool rooms and beauty parlors,  at school events, ball games, and even out at the smoking spot outside the Methodist, as the season plodded to its reveal.

Well, we had been hired to cater a small Wedding Dinner for a young couple---I don’t remember which one had been married before, but they didn’t want a “Big To-Do,” just a nice evening at the Country Club, with a pretty Fall-decorated cake and delicious Cornish-hens-and Dressing dinner.  

As time went on toward the date, I was asked quite a few times at the office about timing re: getting home to see the show, and once, “When you gonna let us out of there?”    Since I was certainly not in charge of anything but the food, I had no answer for them.

But I DID think of one thing that might calm the waters and assure that no one missed the show.  We put together a little Movie Night plan, carrying both the new AirPOP, the old popcorn popper, several BIG salad-bar bowls, a big package of quart-sized Dixie cups, several flavors of popcorn salt, and  several pounds of kernels---all unbeknownst to the Bride and Groom.

 

As the dessert was being served, and some folks hitting the dance floor, we started the poppers to work, with butter melting in a big pan and all that unmistakable scent of POPCORN in the air, filling those enormous pans and hoisting them to the warming shelves on those big Franklin ranges.

 When it got on toward nine o’clock, everybody had suddenly decided to stay on and watch in the big lounge, and a surge of refills at the bar and tea pitchers and Coke Machine preceded the crowd into the TV room, with chairs and cushions brought from every room in the club, and all those folks in their evening finery lounging on furniture, the floor, several on laps and handy leaning-spots all over the room.

We passed out cups of popcorn and lots of paper towels, set out the rest of the bowls and toppings, and went our way back to the clearing of tables, to hearty applause for our unexpected treat, and shouts to befit an Ole Miss/State game when the shooter was revealed.

 

I heard nice things about that unexpected lagniappe to the experience for years, and the surprised and grateful Bride and Groom remembered us with a handsome tip.