I missed the last two Lodges of Instruction but at least I got to the May breakfast. I got there when Andy did, about 5:45. I immediately began performing expert potato dicing procedures.
The breakfast was slow to begin. I think that’s a product of the season. The Unitarian church next door also ran a breakfast. I do not suppose that people stand outside wondering which one to attend. Ours was a dollar cheaper, if it came to that.
I helped set up the dining room, served for a while, then switched to the essential role of toastmaster. I prepared the toast. Meat and potato dishes are prepared beforehand. Someone does pancakes on the griddle, someone else prepares scrambled eggs, other eggs are under someone else’s command, and someone plates the orders. The pace is hectic.
I did not expect that making toast would be pressure-packed, but when the crowd started growing, and push came to shove, I felt rushed. The toast is a promodel, with a conveyor drawing the bread between the heating elements. Two slices go in side by side and this can be maintained continuously. Yes, if you are agile.
I had to load the bread into the toaster, paint the finished toast with melted butter, plate the toast on paper plates, and cut the slices. That, friends, is multi-tasking. I helped clean up then left around 11:00.
It is a good feeling to contribute in this way. It is not charitable in the sense of CHIPS or the blood drive, but it is still helping. The breakfast makes some money for the Lodge, and, more importantly, fosters camaraderie. Plus I get a breakfast out of it, and I drank a lot of coffee.
Last Tuesday was a regular Lodge meeting. Four candidates were passed to Second Degree. I wanted to go to their first Cipher Training (Cipher Training is open to any brother), but could not manage it. But I was anxious to watch the ritual again.
Entering the Lodge Room, I chose to sit in the Northeast Corner, because I wanted a different view. I normally sit by the door. Attendance was less than other nights, so I sat there alone. I was not segregating myself there, between Dick our treasurer, whose desk is at that corner, and the Joe the organist.
Our Senior Warden did not attend and was replaced by a Past Master. There was a replacement for Jim our Senior Steward. He arrived in time but let the replacement remain.
The ritual was somewhat abbreviated because the District Deputy was making a another visit. That’s the third visit to our Lodge since I’ve been a member. The District Deputy belongs to the Lodge in Tewksbury, but when that Lodge was being built they used Thomas Talbot, so the DD was raised at TT. Got that?
Midway through the ritual, someone came over from across the way. He was a Past Master who now lives in Florida. He introduced himself. It concerned him that a brother sat alone. I explained why I did so, but he remained. That was an incredibly nice gesture. Later, after the Lodge closed, I was speaking with Jim, the Senior Steward. He said join him if I find myself alone. I explained to him, as well, why I sat where I did. This is camaraderie.
The District Deputy’s entrance happens with sufficient pomp. The Worshipful Master calls out all Past Masters to greet the DD. They stand in parallel lines and the DD passes through. I have no problem with a little pomp. The District Deputy is not pompous, just to be clear. He is a warm speaker.
I will try to attend Cipher training tomorrow.
