Cocktails for two (hundred)

Mrs. Hall, cheered by the fact that her pater familias had yet again thumbed his nose at the medical profession, defied tradition to the tune of beating the odds and walking away unscathed, took a moment or two to raise a glass and give thanks early, ahead of the rush.

"Well," she began, "it was a very harrowing week earlier, but things are starting to look up." Mr. Hall was busy adjusting his tie. "Have you found that invitation yet?" he asked. In her anxiety, Mrs. Hall had misplaced an invitation to a cocktail reception for WCNY at King and King Architects' new flagship building on the west side. "Don't worry about it, dear," he soothed. "I know where we're going."

It would have been hard to miss. Flaggers waved the guests into the parking lots and though their new downtown location was in a very hard and dark part of town, the bright lights glittering through the new glass showed quite a well-heeled crowd swelling around a check-in table in the lobby.

Of course, not five feet into the structure, Mr. Hall stretched out his hand. "Ho, there- Bob! How are you?" and he was met by the same happy response. Directing the kickoff presentation was long time friend and the director of their little movie intro at WCNY last year, Bob Papaleoni. "Things are starting to hop. The mayor's not here yet, but Nancy Cantor is and I think I see Joannie Mahoney cutting into the drink line over there."

The room was packed, so they squeezed their way over to the buffet and stood in line. "This should be quite a nice little soiree," began Mr. Hall, as the president of WCNY started to speak- when all of a sudden the lights went out. A few excited squeals let out, but the professionals running the show took it all in stride; it was the work of five minutes or so and things were rolling along smoothly again.

Mayor Stephanie Minor gave a wonderful speech, all the speakers were mercifully brief and after a lively and informative video extolling the virtues of donating vast sums of money to their cause, the gathering had, for all intents and purposes, fulfilled its requirements. "Shall we be rolling along now?" asked Mrs. Hall, but Mr. Hall was engaged elsewhere; eschewing the video entirely, and reminiscing with fellow radio personality Bill Baker behind one of the buffet tables. "Come along, dear," she said. "The cats are waiting for us to feed them at home." They wrapped themselves up against the dark night and sped back to the Hall.