Dinner with the Ship's Crew

A couple nights ago we got an invitation to have dinner with the Chief Safety Officer (hello, Ben) and the Ship's Concierge, Martha. Martha is a wee bit of a girl, 4'11" tall, from Ireland.  In addition, there were two couples at the table, Kay and her husband from Palm Desert, in their 80's and simply delightful, and a couple from NYC, Seymour and Phyllis.  Seymour was the vice-president of CBS Records, President of CBS toys (who knew they were in the toy business at one time!), and negotiated the sale o CBS Records to Sony, so he was vice-president of Sony for 5 years.  Mostly classical lovers and really into NYC, opera, and Broadway.  ANYWAY, it was an interesting night.  Many of you may remember our friend Gail Noble who, when we were in Anguilla, had a habit of never ordering dessert.  She would sit there and when the rest of us got dessert, she'd say, "How does that taste?"  When we would offer her a bite, she would decline and continue to say, as we ate, "How does it taste?  Is that a really strong chocolate?  DOes the whipped cream have vanilla in it?" -- never tasting any of the desserts!

Well, I figured Gail had designed a new diet that should be a hit: you just watch everyone eat and ask them what it tastes like, savoring in your BRAIN, not your mouth, the food that all your friends were eating!!

So, our new friend Martha ordered no dessert.  You know where this is going.  She started asking each of us what the dessert tasting like.  She declined to try, but kept on asking...  Then I told her about Gail and the "VICARIOUS DIET".  Now she wants to meet Gail and asks me each day, as we pass on the ship, have I heard from her friend Gail.  I do think this kind of diet could surpass "South Beach Diet."  There is a future here...

In addition, we had dinner last night with Seymour and Phyllis.  Seymour is a quiet little man, nearly 80, who, when prodded, told about his life at CBS and Sony.  He talked in billions of dollars when negotiating sales, getting 10 billion here, there and everywhere.  We sat, stunned.  Never knew anyone who talked in billions before!  And they have a 6 day a week housekeeper that does everything for them.

Phyllis is aggressive.  When her son wanted tickets to "The Producers" and she didn't want to pay for premium seats, she called the President of American Express and complained --- got the tickets and then they sent PHYLLIS flowers!  Why don't the rest of us do things like that??!!