- 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.?" DALLAS 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. 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
Besides, I'd seen the havoc those new TV series could wreak, with the tale of two ladies at the Beauty Parlor tying up over a magazine with Nick Nolte from Rich Man, Poor Man. And I'd personally witnessed the time at P.T.A. meeting when the long, lanky Town Alderman tried to step OVER the folding chairs between him and the aisle to get his wife home on time about three weeks into THAT show. Rumor was that he had to wear an "appliance" for a couple of weeks, but I wouldn't know about that.
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 for about thirty friends, 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
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
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.
I watched alone in my living room after I put my kids to bed. Now your version is an EVENT! What a cool memory for the whole crowd.
ReplyDeleteIt's strangely fun to remember such an inconsequential, useless thing with such fond silliness. The children said that catering all those parties was just my hobby, for I loved so much to have the lovely evenings and events to attend, and get paid for it. And somebody would mention that moment now and again, for the next four years til we moved away.
ReplyDeleteDarling Rachel,
ReplyDeleteAs you surely know, we have no television....but....once upon a time....a very long time ago....we did have such an appliance.
I
t was 1980, the year of our marriage. One of us came to this state of marital bliss having been immersed in books, the other came having been raised on Coronation Street. For both of us, Dallas arrived as a new adventure.
The television was propped on a table in the bedroom since the only time for watching was when, exhausted from our schools and the garden, watching the box sent us to sleep. Dallas at first held an interest, at least only as far as the introductory cast list. We LOVED shouting out the names as they appeared on the screen and which we can recall to this day....Victoria Principal, Charlene Tilston, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman....and, our absolute favourite...Barbara Bel Geddes. Surely, we thought, they cannot be REAL people with names such as these??!!
We never watched a full episode....We never knew who shot J R....We got shot of the television.:):)
What a treat to hear your brief touches with this enduring bit of Retro Television---in that time of "No rewind" and channel-change by hand. And you learned those eclectic syllables to shout at the screen! I can almost see your room in the flickery black and white---basing on the fact that we had only that in those times---with your tired garden-bodies easing into slumber as the plot thickened like Chuckwagon Stew.
DeleteWe, on the other hand, took our exchange most gladly and gleefully---the next year's export from your hallowed channels gave us BRIDESHEAD, which we devoured and cheered and grew to love and wait for Anthony's appearance onscreen. A friend and I would watch on my tiny Jetson-shaped TV, crosslegged on my bed like teenage Elvis fans.
And Miss Barbara---wasn't she something, with her expressions so vivid and her quiet strength spread all around that rickety family? Thank you for your small confession to looking-in---even if only to introduce the credits. Coming home from a day of classes and all that outdoor work, I'm sure you might have been lulled into oblivion by GUNS OF NAVARONE, Bless Your Hearts.