It is just after 8:00 pm on December 15, 2006. It is my 50^th birthday, and Alan and Giselle have invited Margot and me out to dinner. Margot and I picked up Alan and Giselle, but since Giselle was late “late” getting ready (because she had to drop Taylor off at a friend's house), we were late for the 8:00 dinner reservation, so I dropped off Margot and Giselle at the restaurant, while Alan and I parked the car. Helpfully, Giselle phoned Alan to let us know that our table was upstairs.

I was clueless. Even thinking back on anything strange in the previous month, I could not think of anything anyone let slip that would have given the surprise away.

I was so happy to see all my favourite people all in one place, but it took some time before I realized it wasn't just a happy coincidence (which I thought justified the surprise).

As you can see, I'm several days into growing a beard to go along with my advanced age.

Coming up the stairs at Piazzetta Trattoria, I was a bit confused why Margot and Giselle were sitting at the bar, since I was expecting them to be at a table.

Here is Harvey's back.

As my eyes adjusted to the room, I realized I knew everybody in the room (I thought that only happens to Alan in restaurants).

Here is (left to right) Jenny, Harriet and Mira.

Here are their husbands (in palindromic order, by coincidence), Jeff, Harvey, and Mark.

Starting at the left, is Alan, Giselle, Sharon, Margot, Mitchell, Paul, Diane, Lorne, Ruth, and Gary.

Here is Mike, John, and Vince, from our Electrical Engineering days at the University of Toronto, Class of 79.

Here is Jeff, Randi, Jenny, and Harriet.

Jeff might be getting ready to feed his wine to Jenny, and pizza to Randi.

Mike's wife Cheryl's mother worked at Simpsons Yorkdale for a very long time, and Harvey and Mark worked there after hours as “Register Readers”, where they would remove the paper tapes from the cash registers.

Here is Catherine (of John fame) and Carol (of Vince fame).

Jim, also from U of T, Electrical Engineering, Class of 79, and Julia.

Mikey and Cheryl (Industrial Engineering, Class of 79).

John and Vince.

Sister Karyn and Jonathan.

Margot's mother Roselyn, and Diane and Grayson.

Ruth (who scrambled to bring Grayson and Diane to the restaurant while Margot and I were waiting for Giselle to “get ready”) and Gary.

Newlyweds Sharon and Lorne.

Harvey, Jeff, and Randi.

Jack and Harriet.

The chief plotter Margot, and unsuspecting Mitchell.

Harriet and Mira.

Dr. Bev, brother Jeff, and Dad Phil.

Co-conspirators, Alan and Giselle.

Paul and Diane.

Friends 'till the end (just don't ask to borrow any money).

Mark, Harvey, and Jeff.

Giselle and Mark.

Dispite his reputation for sleeping anywhere, here Mark appears to actually be checking his calendar.

As you see, he's wide awake.

Chief plotter with dockmaster Jack.

I suspect this picture was taken accidentally (along with a nice one of a door hinge which I decided not to post), but perhaps there is something artistic here (there's a fine line between these, and I have a bit of trouble differentiating such things, so I'll go with artistic and post this one – then again, I have been known to be duped occasionally).

Time for the birthday cake. I just get one candle.

First the inhale.

That's one feisty candle (maybe I need to practice my aim).

After midnight, it was Diane's birthday (happens every year). Despite her youth, she is much better than I at blowing out candles.

Margot had some funny and retrospective words to say.

I'm happy and flattered.

Darling children Diane and Grayson had funny and deep things to say as well.

They both speak beautifully in front of crowds.

I had been wondering why Mark had a flashlight at the table (maybe the closest he could get to a candlelight dinner?). Turns out he was not expecting a power outage, but was expecting to be reading. More beautiful words could not be spoken (and they found something that rhymes with Lasagna!).

You can virtually recreate the moment (especially if you can imitate Harvey's voice).

Life-long friends Jack and Alan appreciated that Mark brought a flashlight, and posed the age-old question Friends to the end?.

Rapt attention to the kind words.

To the right of Mira's back is Cheryl, with Gary and Alan in the distance.

I'm ruining the picture with my head, and to the right is Cheryl and Mike, and John, then Vince.

Diane is happy.

Paul, Diane, and Giselle.

And we're happy too.
Many thanks to Jack/Randi and Mark/Mira for taking these pictures.