On our recent family vacation to Williamsburg, we decide to splurge and reserve a table at the famous Kings Arms Tavern. This authentic18th-century tavern came equipped with a waiter with personality.
Imagine. His name was George. George was vivacious and talkative. He was selling his wares and pitching his provisions.
For our first course, we ordered the peanut soupe. George helpfully guided us that one would suffice the table for the experience. When my son ordered the Hunters Pye, he became George’s favorite. Unusual for us, we went all in and ordered dessert. Gary and I split the Syllabub.
Our courses were punctuated by minstrel music on the mandoline along with George’s instructions and narratives around 18th-century tavern food and operations.
It was delightful and light until George broke character and asked us where we lived. Gary mentioned growing up in Norfolk. George did too! They figured out years and schools and the obvious to us fact that meant their dads were in the Navy. Then it became a quick back and forth between George and me as George mentioned his dad was in the USNA class of 1936 and served in WWII. My dad was USNA in 1942 and the War! We discovered both of our dads served on submarines.
As George left to serve another table; my son, Andrew, had already found George’s father online before I could get to Google. Mom, his father was a POW in the War. We both took in George’s father’s biography, amazed at the service and sacrifice.
When George returned, we started sharing the boats our dads were on. When I shared, my father was part of the search for the downed Thresher; he shared the clincher, My father almost received orders to the Thresher. Something came up, and he didn’t get those orders. A month later, the submarine went down. Oh, George, I exclaimed. I spoke with confidence: Our fathers knew each other!
George created a fantastic experience for us as part of his work in Williamsburg. Our curiosity and openness to talk with those we meet along our way led to discovering unexpected connections.
From the 18th to the 21st century, the places you go and the people you meet are full of surprise and delight.