Surviving the Return of the Grateful Dumpling

We had a bit of a gruelling week with all of our activities and the preparation for the big youth concert. When the show finally arrived, however, we were ready to rock and roll. All the dumplings had been made, and on the Saturday of the show, all I had to do is make the sauces, and then, of course, cook the actual dumplings, but that wouldn’t be until the show.

The morning was complicated by chess club, which the kids really wanted to attend. I was not looking forward to another death-match with the child wonder, but figured I could slip out and run some errands while the kids played.

It turns out that nobody showed up other than AM, who coordinates it, so A&N got to play each other and have hot cocoa and donuts, which AM provides. That alone is worth the price of admission, though it’s a little sad and lonely when we’re the only ones there. I had to run to get some final materials for the dumplings, and the kids were more than happy to hang out and eat treats.

Afterward, we hung out and then got ready for the afternoon show. I went early and dropped off the supplies, and then we all went together for the show. The kitchen at the hall is huge, and has this amazing 8 burner stove, which was dominated by J (don’t know his last name), who was cooking up the Thai feast to end all Thai feasts.

I managed to finagle two burners to make the dumplings, and let me tell you, it was amazing watching the guy work. He had 4-5 assistants, and he literally made enough food for 200 people. And it was good, killer Thai food, the real deal. Apparently he studied in Thailand.

My gig was pretty straightforward, all I had to do was fry up the dumplings and load them into the chafing dishes, while J furiously cooked the Thai food. Our timing was perfect, and by the time the show ended and people streamed into the dining hall, the food was ready. I think people really enjoyed the food.

The turnout at the show was sparse at first, though it sure seemed to pick up when it was time to eat. Funny how that works. I was a little disappointed in the low turnout, I really think people should support these kids, who show a lot of talent and courage to get up there and perform. It ain’t easy.

I seem to see a decline in participation in a lot of these events, and I’ve only been here a few years, but the turnout has gradually gotten smaller and smaller. I saw it the Dhalia fest, the Peony Fest, and even Winter Carnival (and let us not forget chess club), all of which are basically free. The shame of it all is that when we take these community events for granted, they will eventually disappear. It takes some sacrifice and compromise to make these events happen, and even less to show up in the audience. That, however, is not enough to get people to come out and show their support.

Oh well, you do the best you can, right? Thanks for reading, and thanks to Patrick Hajzler and Jorge Lasala for the pics.