Friday, July 24, 2009

golfing

Recently I served for a $45-per-plate event at a local golf club. The function with was with a friendly and excellent cook, who we will call B. It was one of those events where everyone wears pastels and there's a traffic jam around the bar. I thought one guest was going to throw his wine glass upon learning the dinner was buffet style, and he would have to wait in a line.

The real kicker for me was the "wish list" in the ladies restroom. Next to an enormous mirror was a place where members could write such suggestions as, "ball cleaners on the golf carts," and "air fresheners in the restrooms." I took in this list, struggled for a moment with the moral implications of writing something even though I'm not a member, and then scribbled down:

"Host a dinner for the area's homeless and unemployed individuals"

All evening I was worried someone would come up and ask me for a handwriting sample. But, I hoped that at least one member would see the idea, think it came from one of their own, and maybe set up a service committee or something. If confronted, this is the answer I would give for my motivations, ready to pull the "our president loves americorp and service projects" card.

What I would not have said is that I feel elitist functions at elitist clubs reinforce dangerous attitudes the upper class have toward life. Like the fact one man's world was shattering around him because he had to stand in line. I wanted my suggestion to bring someone back to reality. I wanted to break their silence around poverty and unequal distribution of resources.

Don't get me wrong- I'm incredibly thankful for the employment. And I know our golf course guests are a product of a society that values money and conformity more than individuals. I care about them, as people. I care about their contribution to our northern economy. But I also care about those who would like to contribute, those have worked just as hard but have nothing near the privilege of these private members. Why aren't we all working toward a world where everyone could enjoy a $45 dinner, and know what it feels like to serve this meal?

p.s.
if you see this B, please don't let me go- I'm know I'm not the only server who has this opinion!

2 comments:

  1. Nice post. It´s this sort of thing that we should all be doing more. How often are we presented with the opportunity to comment on a business or organization and just walk past this box. I´m going to take those little benign slips more seriously from now on....

    This line here ´´golf course guests are a product of a society that values money and conformity more than individuals´ highlights one of the greatest tensions in US society. We "individualize" our outer look with the products (and therefore the ideals they represent) we cloak ourselves in and the surround ourselves in. Despite this freedom to choose how others perceive and recognize us (in a material sense) the social pressures to conform narrow the inner indivuality and how we choose to see ourselves.

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