The office holiday party

Our office's annual holiday party was held yesterday. We generally have the party in conjunction with our co-workers from the Davis office. For the second year in a row, the party was held at Bistro Don Giovanni's in Napa, which is equidistant from Davis and San Francisco, so each office travels approximately the same distance. It was yet another emotional day for me, as it represented the first office party I've attended without Dennis being with me. We rented a shuttle bus and 16 of us from the San Francisco office headed out at about 2:30pm. It's a rare event when I get to be a passenger in a vehicle instead of being the driver, so it was nice being able to just stare out the window during the ride. Michelle brought a container of champagne; the first cork was popped just as we were getting on the Bay Bridge, as traffic had started backing up in anticipation of the Friday afternoon commute. While sipping champagne and thinking of Dennis, the tears started rolling down my face. I kept my sobbing as quiet as I could and I don't think anyone even noticed my tears.

Susan from the Davis office had been the party coordinator and she was waiting at the restaurant as the bus pulled up to the front door. This is the only time of year that I get to see my co-workers from the Davis office and I've always tried to make the most of it. While it was fun seeing everyone, there was an element of sadness as I watched everyone else with their spouse and/or significant other enjoying themselves while all I could do was have memories of past parties in which Dennis was a big participant. I got choked up numerous times but here I am Saturday morning writing about it, so I guess I survived. Due to the fact that we've hired many new people in the past year, there were a lot of unfamiliar faces, so Michelle (as the Senior Vice President) decided it would be a good idea to go around the room and everyone had to introduce themselves, tell why they were at the party and give a fact about themselves that people may not know about. When it came to be my turn, I stood and said, "I'm Rick from the SF office; I've dealt with everyone at some point and it's nice to see everyone. It's my 18th party, but the first without Dennis, and it's a bit difficult today, but I'm here enjoying myself as much as I can. Oh, and I play a little pool."

Overall, I'd say the party was a success. The food and atmosphere was really nice. Dennis would have liked the place. Once I got home, I had a major crying spell that I think I'd been holding in most of the day. In another two weeks, it will be one year since he died. It's still difficult to grasp that fact, but it's reinforced every time I walk into the living room and see his empty chair.