Rich Food, Wine, and Inappropriate Behavior

Last night we went to a company dinner to say goodbye to one of the big honchos that just retired from Tim's company. They held it at a very nice restaurant, whose executive chef was a competitor in the Bocouse d'Or a few years ago (the page is in French, it's a French competition, and I couldn't find that they had a non-French page. And they say Americans are snooty.) Thus the food was very, very good. As with most company events at Tim's company, the bar was open and someone took way too much advantage of that. (Not me, not Tim - not even anyone we knew this year.)

After the meal, as we were all waiting for dessert and expecting to go home soon, the second in command got up to do a little presentation. It was intended to be lighthearted and slightly roast-like, bringing up little things over the course of his employment that were accolades or slightly embarassing. And had it been left at this, the program would've been short and pleasant. But then the guy leaving had to make a speech.

Aside from not really understanding where he was going with any of it, he made several statements that just seemed incredibly inappropriate and/or better left unsaid and at several points I considered excusing myself just to get away for a few minutes. He bashed the President, he bashed the war, he belittled the sacrifice of the soldiers overseas. He indicated that he'd "made all the money [he] ever needed long before joining this company". And then he rambled. And rambled. And rambled. Making weird comments that left you wondering if he was high or just really drunk. Periodically throughout his speech, he was interrupted by the hooting and way-too-loud-for-the-venu commentary of some guy Tim didn't know who had clearly been boozing long before he hit the open bar at the restaurant, because trashed just doesn't seem to be strong enough to describe his intoxication level. And I wondered what it was that let people act like that in public and why people feel it's their duty to inject their politics into a farewell speech to a company that has nothing to do with politics.

But aside from that, it was pleasant to see some of Tim's coworkers who I haven't seen in a long while. And it was a little strange to see how many people who we had considered pretty good friends from his work are no longer with the company - and to realize that we (mutually) haven't done much to keep in touch.