I can't remember whether he won the silver award before the gold award or after.

I suppose logic would suggest "before".

But we went to Washington for the silver award.

Rather, he took me there. I mean, we met there. At the Ritz Carlton for a long weekend. Far and away the fanciest hotel I've ever stayed in. I was easily impressed in those days: a fully-stocked mini-bar, swoon. I'm much more sophisticated now.

But the clearest memory, apart from sight-seeing, was "the dinner". Six or seven courses, three hours. The organizers provided us with keepsake Asian-themed costumes to be worn to dinner. We were mystified but complied.

Most of the honorees were salespeople. I suppose he was in Federal Systems at that time, just years after the break-up, the only business unit lucrative enough for such a celebration. Maybe most were local but I flew into Dulles.

During dinner, we were treated to a performance of select scenes from a hot, new stage musical. Neither of us were particularly savvy about live theater, back then. Even though, ironically, my favorite movies were screen-adaptations of popular plays: Arsenic and Old Lacy, Auntie Mame, Our Town - you know, all those corny ol' shows the high schools put on.

We were somewhat blown away by what we saw.

And all this comes to mind because Kenny needed to bring in Asian articles for their study of Japan this week. I gave him my costume for their classroom display and he wore Jeff's costume, with the sleeves rolled way up, today as they toured around the school visiting other "countries" in different classrooms.