Fa la la la la la la la la

The Great Lakes Dredge and Philharmonic Society Goes Caroling

Tomorrow night I have been invited to attend the 75th anniversary celebration dinner for "The Dredge," a group of Chicago men, all of whom seem to bear a striking resemblance to Ebenezer Scrooge. They generally gather together during the Christmas Season to wear top hats, wrap their necks in old school scarves, and sing Christmas carols about town.  This 75th anniversary event is such an auspicious occasion that members, former members, friends, and families are coming from all over the country to meet at an esteemed private club on Chicago's near north side.

Most in the group have educational pedigrees of the prep school and Ivy League type, which means they tend to be of the caucasion persuasion, which also means that the odds of them not being Episcopalian are astronomical. So you can be sure there will be no modern versions of the tried and true carols they plan to sing. No hip hop renditions of Silent Night, Babe or Deck the Halls, Sucka. Not that I wouldn't pay money to hear them pull something like that off.

I received a surprise invitation to attend the event from an old boyfriend and former member of The Dredge, who now lives in Dallas.  He's is probably the most socially acceptable person I have ever known, with the manners of an Edwardian prince, the charming repartee of a politician, the education of a college professor, and a family genealogy that makes him only 20,594th in line for the throne. Which is why this invitation is so unexpected, given Mrs. Linklater's mouth busy schedule. But, I think he just wants to see if I really can walk like everybody says, since I got my new hips. And what better place to try me out than in public at a party where good behavior is expected.

Has he thought this through? Taking me may be like asking Roseanne to sing the National Anthem. And we all know what happened with that.