COOGS and I just got back from a really nice gathering put together by JB's Pub (formally Mike's Place) for Heidi, who had been our server for years. A week ago yesterday when we were there as usual for Playback etc. and to do karaoke, she brought us our pitcher of Shiner, and then said goodbye as she ended her shift and went out the door. Something happened to her when she was at home with her dogs (no one seems to know what, but it's still assumed to be a natural cause), and she crossed over at age 45. The gathering involved raising money so that she can be buried next to her mother, whose grave is out-of-state (barbecue, darts tournament, bake sale, and an auction, for which we donated two Jimmy Buffet CDs--she'd been to many of his concerts, including the one here in Houston in June). It was amazing how many area bars, restaurants, and other businesses contributed to the effort, as well as many customers, so it looked as though the objective would be accomplished. All during it, our KJ Donavan used his karaoke apparatus to show photos of Heidi, especially lots with her dogs. As she is a Chicago native and diehard Cubs fan, fittingly a Cubs game came on in the middle of the afternoon, which was featured on the largest screen.
This is the second trivia-friendly server we've lost in recent years, the first being Sterling, who started out at the predecessor to SRO OT, then moved to Clicks, and was killed a few years ago in a car accident. His reappearance in our lives at Clicks was one of the reasons we started going there.
I'm starting this thread because I would like to acknowledge how much great servers contribute to our enjoyment of the game, and often to its even being gotten in the first place or retained by a particular location.
Heidi and Sterling--you'll always be missed.
Brooke/AARDVK
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