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| Fast Talk |
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| Written by Ron Swift / Fast Talk | |
| Saturday, 10 November 2007 | |
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Savoring precious potluck memories  Ron Swift I’m sure the potluck scene was big in Patterson, just as it was in my small hometown back in Iowa. The only difference in Iowa was that it was called a potluck “supper,” “dinner” being the noontime meal. Potlucks in those days served as the hub of community life. In the very smallest of towns, they might have comprised the only community life. Churches had potlucks on a regular schedule. Civic groups, lodges and even a few school organizations had potlucks, not to mention the golf club (in season). Of course, this doesn’t count the private potlucks, where families got together to toss a few burgers on the grill, eat some fresh corn and enjoy the surprise “extras” brought from other kitchens around town. The potlucks I remember best from my youth were at the local Presbyterian church, probably on Sunday evenings. They didn’t draw huge crowds, but they brought in enough of a gathering that we young people could sneak through the line and take a small amount of beans, maybe a bit of lasagna, a side of Jell-O and all the dessert we could pile on our plates. By the time our parents caught up with us, we were ready for seconds on the dessert. During each pass of the food table, we would stuff our pockets full of cookies, some of which we would save for a rainy day. Our parents didn’t really have much choice about letting us shoot through the line first. When the pastor gave the blessing, we would position ourselves to make the dash quickly to the food line, our eyes glued to our favorite desserts. When he said “Amen,” we were off. It was then we heard words behind us saying, “I guess we’d better let the kids go first tonight.” It was either us first, or serious injury by trampling. I don’t remember what our dads talked about at these gatherings, but our mothers were all a-twitter about how good certain dishes were, how simple and tasty, and “could you bring me that recipe next Sunday morning?” Many recipes were proudly shared through the potluck process. When the eating was over and cleanup was underway, the young people played hide-and-seek by dashing into the empty and usually-dark Sunday school rooms in other areas of the church hall. The younger kids, let’s say 5-and-under, stayed in the main hall with our parents — as we were afraid of the dark — but we hid under the tables. We usually scoped out the little ones and evoked screams of terror when we snuck up on them. Later, we discovered that the potlucks at the golf club were far more exciting, as we began the teenage years. As darkness approached, teenagers of both sexes would wander outside, just far enough from the clubhouse to have a little social time of our own. Finally, it would get good and dark, and parents would shout our names to announce it was time to go home. Our thoughts quickly turned to the next potluck. Only once in my potluck experience do I remember there being a problem. It was at church, where about 20 families gathered one evening. As all potluckers know, Jell-O can be prepared in many ways — with or without fruit, in several different colors, offered as both salads and desserts, with an array of toppings and sculpted into an unlimited variety of cutesy shapes. As luck would have it, 17 of the 20 dishes brought to the potluck had Jell-O as the main ingredient. It was before the days of fast food, so we had to live with it. For the sports fan Did anyone ever think the Nebraska Cornhuskers would give up 76 points in a football game? That’s what happened last weekend when Kansas pounded UofN 76-39, undoubtedly bewildering retired Patterson High teacher and coach Mike Worley, a tried-and-true Nebraska grad and former Husker. Mike now better understands how I feel every fall about my Iowa State Cyclones, usually outmanned, outmatched and outplayed by the likes of Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and, this year, Kansas and Missouri. Heck, Mike, send the cheerleaders in on defense and give me some game experience. You have nothing to lose. Other games of note for you statistic-starved fans: St. Olaf rolled over Carleton 85-28, Tiffin rolled past Missouri-Rolla 73-30, Furman outlasted Elon 52-49, Harding edged Arkansas Tech 62-55 and Mary Hardin-Baylor turned manly and thumped Eastern Texas Baptist 72-7. Have they stopped teaching defense as a part of football? And finally Remember this: Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone. Ron Swift is editor/publisher emeritus of the Patterson Irrigator. His column appears weekly in this space.
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