A couple weeks ago, our very own LeahC decide to revive the Seminary-Sheridan Super Club, a club where Leah, the Chicago Grandparents and I try out new and interesting restaurants in Chicago. Last week we visited the original Connie’s Pizza down on Archer (at least, I think it’s the original), this week it was Southport Lanes, and next week it will be Charlie Trotters. Of course, because dinners now include a little baby named Lu, they would have to be a bit earlier. Brunches and early dinners were the plan.
Or at least, we thought that was the plan. But, in fact, the plan involved much more trickery. Trickery and deception and chicanery and flimflam and codswallop. Well, not codswallop…Leah hates cod.
and swallop.
But yeah, there was much trickery yesterday as Leah and I arrived at Southport lanes after a day of Wiggleworms (read: hippie music with babies) and a visit to The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square. It was a great day and a bit of bowling would only make it better. Yep, can’t wait to bowl. And a cheeseburger! Cheeseburgers are good! Just going to walk into the bowling area with my wife and…hey, there’s Jake and Laura. And they have balloons on their heads. Leah didn’t mention they were coming…maybe Scott and Sue invited them? Huh.
(Note: nothing about the balloons on the head seemed weird. We’re talking about Jake and Laura here)
And so an unsuspecting me walked into the bowling area to meet Scott and Sue and (apparently) Jake and Laura when…Surprise! Holy crap! It’s a surprise party! There are bunches of people I know here and they’re all here to celebrate my birthday…which was two weeks ago! Hence the surprise!
So yeah, I walked in and was most surprised. I don’t think I actually said a word as my brain was working very slowly in processing all this. I’ve been on the other side of the surprise and always wondered what the surprised were thinking. Now I know. They’re surprised. Surprising, huh?
In addition to friends from work and friends from out of town (very surprised/impressed that Bridgette and Chad came all the way from Indianapolis to help celebrate), there were people that Scott used to teach with. Huh. But ah yes, it was also Scott’s birthday and he was still to arrive, for the second surprise of the day. And so after a few rounds of hellos, the suprisee became the suprisor and I waited for Scott to arrive.
And he did. And he was surprised. We were both so completely shocked as Leah and Sue had done a magnificent job planning all this in secret. The concept of the revived super club and Leah saying “hey, we should go to Southport Lanes” every time we walked by for the last two months was all just setup for today. Most impressive.
And so the rest of the afternoon was spent bowling and drinking and cheeseburger eating and it was good. Leah and I tied for the win in bowling (because we’re winners) and presents were given and it was a good time. Hey, I like the way birthdays have been going recently. Everyone gives beer or booze! It’s the perfect gift because it’s tasty and, when it’s done, it’s recycled keeping our apartment free of clutter.
The drinkables included:
- Jake and Laura donating rum to my liquor cabinet collection. He recently tweeted about the Rum saying he wasn’t sure if it was good or just weird. I’m going to assume good. Given the many Rum and Cokes we’ve drank together over the years, a very appropriate gift.
- A Saki collection from the Teyema’s in from Indiana. Saki it to me, baby!
- A collection of beer from Kay and Sam which, appropriately enough, were held in a case for Newton’s Folly, an homage to Newton’s misguided belief in the Theory of Gravity which, as we now know, was just a theory.
- And, of course, the beer from Andrea. Sure, she insists that I shouldn’t read anything into the beers she chose for me and Scott. Yeah, no, nothing to read into. Except that she gets me a beer named “Slim Chance” and Scott’s was something like “ManHammer” or “Big Hammer” or “Thunder Hammer” or “Thor, God or Thunder”* or…something like that. I don’t know, something that’s the opposite of Slim Chance. Sheesh.
(* Fans of the Josh Whedon project Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog** can insert their own “the hammer is my penis” joke here)
(** NERDS!)
So yeah, a great birthday surprise and a great time at Southport Lanes. Nice work by Grandma Sue and LeahC on the surprise and a big thanks to everyone who came out to wish me and Scott a happy birthday.
