WISHY

I went to a holiday luncheon downtown yesterday, hosted by one of our clients.

I was unsure of whether or not I wanted to go, mostly because I typically hate making small talk with strangers while I'm trying to eat, but additionally, if ever given the chance to avoid a particular one of my coworkers that was going, I always try to seize it. But knowing I didn't have anything better to do and that at the very worst, I'd have eaten a free lunch, I added my name to the list of attendees.

We arrived to the luncheon and immediately my heart was warmed when I saw the the beautiful holiday decorations, heard the lovely Christmas music, and noticed wait staff circling with champagne and wine. As gracefully as one can begin imbibing at noon, I chased down a waiter and grabbed a glass of white wine.

We checked our coats, tossed our business cards in the pot for door prizes and made our way into the dining room, which was beautifully decorated. After sitting down, the wait staff came around and offered more beverages. Our waitress, or as I began to call her, my new best friend, insisted I try a glass of Merlot along with my Chardonnay.

So there I am looking at a glass of water, a glass of tea, a glass of Chardonnay and a glass of Merlot. And these glasses were filled to the brim.

There are menus at each seat so I take a moment to read what we will be dining on this glorious afternoon. If you're going to be drinking at noon, you might as well have a filet mignon to go with it. This is logic I readily accepted as my mouth began to water at the thought of a delicious steak for lunch.

The meal was delicious and the dessert was adorable. The Lollipop Trio, as it was called, consisted of three chocolate truffles impaled upon lollipop sticks and placed in a chocolate shell. They were the best lollipops I've ever had.

As we left the lunch, we were handed a gift. I figured it was a paperweight or desk clock emblazened with the client logo. However, it ended up being the cutest little sterling silver wish ornament. You write your wish on the parchment paper that's included and then place it in the little ornament, hoping it comes true. Of course, even in my buzzed merriment, the logistics of the ornament confused me. "Who takes them out eventually?" I asked my coworkers. "What if they don't come true? How long do you leave your wishes in there?"

I am not sure who will take them out or when, but when we got back to the office, I wrote a few wishes and placed them in my wish ornament. And yes, one of them was that we keep this client at least until next Christmas.

What wish would you put in my wish ornament?