Surprise Student

When I do resort Mah Jongg I am not privy to the student list before the class. Sometimes students will let me know they are coming. (And Mary Inman I miss you.)

But I don’t look at the list of name before the class starts. With the weather that is expected we had a bunch of people cancel at the last minute. Good thing I didn’t know who was coming so now I don’t know who I am missing, except Mary.

So when the students came to beyond beginner class today I was so pleased to see Paula and Layla from last year. Paula told me as long as I am here they are coming back. How sweet.

But there were a bunch of students I had not taught before. As they were all getting seated I recognized one woman. At first I thought, “have I taught her before?” then she spoke. Her voice was very familiar and I said, “Hi Sara. I’m Dana Lange from Durham.” It was Sara Foster of Foster’s market.

Sara had moved to Pawley’s island a couple of years ago. So it was great fun to have her in class. She only recently started playing mah Jongg in SC.

After class we spent time visiting with the two other ladies at her table and then Sara and I decided to have dinner together. We talked all about her Martha Stewart years. We decided that the few times I cater waitressed for Martha were before Sara was her Catering Chef.

We talked about Durham and Durham people, Foster’s Market and my love for her biscuits. We reminisced about our dear friend Holley. We shared dessert and had a had time deciphering what flavor the ice cream on the sticky toffee pudding was. I guessed pumpkin, which was close as it was butternut squash ice cream.

We decided to take a photo together tomorrow, “when we are fresher.” I told her I am never fresher, just always about the same. She said maybe she was the same.

It was a fun treat to teach her mah Jongg and we have two more days together. She said she looked forward to more of my stories. Good thing. There is no getting away from them.