An emotional rollar coaster

Last Wednesday Mike and I had a meeting with the planning group for our Parish's Married couple's night out group. This group is a social group for married couples who meet three times a year to share a meal and good times with other married couples from the parish. As we waited for everyone to arrive and between planning many different topics were discussed. One such topic was the upcoming ladies annual retreat. I have personally never attended this retreat, nor will I this year because it just happens to be an all Saturday thing. Saturdays are just not good for me as Mike and Cindy both work and they boys have karate. Saturday is also the day that i seem to have fifty things on my must be done today list. Anyway, the topic was discussed. I was asked if I was going and even given a special invitation( two of the woman at my meeting are part of the core planning group for this retreat and the other two present were in on helping this year)I respectfully admitted that i just couldn't make it,and sat quietly as a couple things about the coming event were brought up. One topic was that Krispy Cream was providing morning Doughnuts and coffee. I guess that they had agreed to donate however, they would only give one flavor and not a variety. Of course donating in general is great but these woman talked about how in past years many woman complained about how they were not thrilled with the food served ( Doughnuts and coffee were served upon check in and a box lunch including a sandwich, potato chips, an apple,and a a big cookie was served with bottled water or a can of pop for lunch)It amazed me that people would complain as I would think that there reason for being there would be the retreat not the food anyway, but I was informed different.
As we talked about the no doughnut variety and the anticipated complaining, we drifted to where the best doughnuts can be bought. One place that was brought up was a place where a friend of my brother's father used to make the doughnuts, before his move to NY a year ago. This man also happens to be married to the sister of one of my best friends in high school, Doug. As we talked of these doughnuts I told a story of Doug and my High school graduation.
It was the day of My graduation party . Doug had told his brother in law weeks ago that he could not work the doughnut shop that day as he wanted to go with me to do some morning running around and then planned to attend my party. It was all set up until the one family who worked the shop besides the owner's family called to say that an emergency had come up and neither the Mother nor daughter of the family were able to work. The owner had been there all night making the doughnuts, so he could not stay all day to sell them too. His wife was not able to go in as their two small sons were not feeling well so she was at home with them, so this left Doug. He agreed to go in in the AM but asked for permission to close in time to go home shower and be at the party at three O'clock PM. Since it was a Saturday, the busiest of the week,and the cases were overflowing,the owner didn't want to loose money by the store being closed and the doughnuts not being sold and the next day they went to a dollar a dozen day old which would have provided a loss that the family could not afford. For this reason Doug was told not to close until all of the doughnuts were gone. Well there was a fight and Doug followed the orders not to leave until the doughnuts were gone but that didn't mean that he had to sell them, he thought. Doug boxed up the doughnuts and called me. I arrived and he stacked flats of doughnuts into my car. he then left with me. My party guests were thrilled at the fresh doughnuts at the party and many took a couple dozen home with them. Though the owner was mad at first he and Doug made up and found peace admitting that both were wrong and moved on. Doug did continue to baby sit without pay for his sister and brother in law as he had done many times so the cost of the given away doughnuts was also forgiven.
The day after the meeting I got a call from one of the ladies . She was upset because Krispy cream just called to say that they were closing ( Oh no say it isn't so )and would not be donating their doughnuts. No doughnuts would surely cause much complaining ! The question was could I ask this man I know if he would donate doughnuts ? I was speechless. First off Krispy cream closing was like a knife through my chest. There is of course Dunkin but I liked Krispy cream too. The second feeling was that there was no way, after what happened nineteen years ago, that I could ask this man for any donation , especially doughnuts. Thankfully I didn't have to because this man is now in New York.The whole story is so bitter sweet.I smiled as I thought of all of the doughnuts(This man made the best I have ever tasted) at my party but shed a tear or two of knowing that Krispy cream is closing. What a day !