Percy Attends Guilford Heart Gala
I attended the 22nd Annual Guilford Heart Gala, a black tie charity event for the American Heart Association held last night at the Empire Room on South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. I had a good time, but still had a hard time shaking the malaise that settles upon me when attending local black tie events, particularly those, like this one, attended primarily by doctors.
First, the once middle-to-upper-middle class medical profession is now barely hanging on to lower-middle class status. I feel bad for the poor return that doctors now realize on their human capital investments: the income they receive following years of expensive education and training hardly seems worth the candle.
Second, does nobody own a non-clip-on bow tie? Of the couple hundred men in attendance, one other guy and I were the only ones that had on real bow ties. As someone who puts on a tuxedo at 6:00 p.m. every day, I'm appalled at this state of affairs. Greensboro Mayor Keith Holliday was in attendance and I had a chance to lobby him for a local ordinance outlawing the sale or possession of clip-on bow ties. (This was a bit tricky as he was wearing one himself.) Let's hope the City Council passes this important local ordinance as soon as possible.
Funny you mention clip-on ties - I had to re-list my latest masterpiece, the portrait of FRED BIGSBY, because initially his tie looked like a clip-on. Needless to say, I would have NONE of that. My public will now notice the tie is most assuredly a real one.
I do, I cannot stand to wear clip on's and will call people out who do. It is not that hard to tie a tie people get over it.