jackl’s blog

JackL goes to Hollywood(s): BRC Presentation Night 3/3/07

The social highlight of the running clubs calendar, the presentation night only lacked a red carpet… limos, paparazzi, television coverage, bad presenters — OK it wasn’t as up–market as the other Hollywoods best but then what do you expect from down to earth runners?

I expect if you managed to get the truth out of someone at the Oscars, they’d probably not enjoy themselves as much as we did at our little shin–dig (the speeches were not only tearless but were mercifully short).

Quick run through

For those that haven’t attended a Benfleet Running Club Presentation night I attempt to give a brief running order below:

1. Get to Hollywoods restaurant.
1. Find the entrance that is open.
2. Find yourself on the table plan.
1. Try to work out who is who as they all look different ‘with their clothes on’
3. Head for the bar.
4. Chat.
5. Get called to tables.
6. Eat.
7. Drink.
8. Just as you’re about to be ‘merry’ the raffle tickets come round. ;-)
9. Actual presentations.
1. Clap.
2. Cheer.
3. Jeer.
10. Drink/go to the bar.
11. Shout “FIX” during the drawing of the raffle (only applicable if you lose).
12. Disco starts.
13. More drink / chat.
14. Another drink.
15. Dance.
16. Laugh.
17. Say goodbyes.
18. Wait outside for half an hour for a taxi bemoaning the lack of lunar eclipse.

The devil is in the detail

The Wife was soon put at ease in a room full of strangers by Clive and ? who were very welcoming. The room was just about the perfect size for the number of guests and even those that notified Kevin a little late [clears throat] managed to be accommodated. This was true also of the bar and it didn’t take longer than a couple of minutes to get served.

The clothes maketh the (wo)man

Some people have innate sartorial elegance and it would be rude of me not to mention the fashion statements. On my table I had such luminaries as Kevin ? (the organiser of the event) and Bill ? and his wife, not to mention Debbie Gibbins in, as The Wife acknowledged, a lovely red gown. Normally these people are more likely to be seen in Ron Hill, View From, Adidas, Nike or Fastrax and they’d be a lot more sweaty too.

Luckily (for me) a great number of the men were less dapper, some even at my level of ‘smart casual’ and as the NGF would tell you, it all looks the same with the contents of your stomach over it at the end of the night.

The ladies were looking lovely — having already mentioned the lady in red (Debbie) I would love to heap praise on all of the others but, alas, I can’t (for a start I don’t know all their names and secondly The Wife was so dazzelingly beautiful that I couldn’t see other women without squinting anyway). Suffice to say that you didn’t have to look far to find someone pleasing to the eye.

The main event

MC Mike presented with a laid–back air that comes with knowing the audience (and as he said afterwards expecting heckling). The award winners were gracious, embarrassed, loving it and in some cases, missing. Those not able to make it didn’t even have the foresight to video their acceptance speech (I’m sure if we promised to give Mike Mason something next year he’d make a video diary and issue a tie–in recipe book).

For a full list of the winners please see here.

A special presentation was made to a couple that were moving away after being members of the club for many years. As a newcomer to the club this was truly a nice thing to see and yet again proves that the club respects and acknowledges the input of its members.

Meritorcrisy–smockracy

Being a noted libertine and always careful to give political correctness a wide berth, I feel I should propose a couple of new awards for next years event. The first is best photo of the year (awarded to the person(s) in the photo not the photographer) and the other is best dancer on the night. In my opinion the Dance Award should have gone to Bill (Bobbys beau) who managed to dance with great gusto to nearly everything. However a special mention would go to Kirste for nearly taking out 3 other dancers while falling off her shoes.

Disappointments

Both The Wife and I were a tad disappointed that Karl and Mrs Karl were unable to make the night. Apparently he was ‘tapering’ for the next days race!

While Hollywoods was a lovely venue and just right for the night the food was a bit too ‘standard’ for both me and The Wife and lacked sparkle. That said we were taking the option, as the NGFs brother says, to “not eat our friends” (i.e veggie) so the carnivorous among you may have had more tastebud excitment.

Phil forgot to buy me the drink he owed me but as he’s around 15 foot taller than me and couldn’t remember who I was I let him off ;-)

Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly

Not only is this possibly the best name for a rock band ever (thanks Stef) but it pretty well describes what I would have liked to have done at the end of the night. Alas it was not to be and me and The Wife had time to reassess the meaning of life and come up with an alternative reality show in the time it took the cab to arrive (and even then it wasn’t the one we ordered!)

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