A Christmas Party story

[huntinstuff]

My wife and I attended a Christmas party last night. Her "group", not mine so I was more or less a stranger to all until my lawyer buddy and his wife showed up. Anyhow..

I kinda got an impression as we pulled up to the 7 figure home that this was likely going to be "one of those" parties but I felt ok in my new Ariat shirt and handmade Canadian boots. It's the best Ive got.....

The entertainment room was full of people. I got my wife and I a drink and I decided to mingle while she hugged and complimented her group of girls who cheered her presence.

I introduced myself to a group of fellow male Gen X'ers as they picked at the catered appetizers.

The chatter was about work and business and most of these gentlemen were owners of a lot of businesses. Pretty big businesses. Actually, some huge businesses.....

"So Randy, what do you do"? one fella asked.

I joked and said I tend to focus my time on getting on my wifes nerves and being a general nuisance around the farm when Im not hunting......

Hunting? Suddenly, all eyes were on me.......

I gave a very brief intro to my guiding and hunting etc. All but one of these men had grown up plinking or hunting or had some sort of farm/ranch experiences.

It changed the conversation. It went from business and planning to tailgate rides, deer skinning and one guy getting chased by a cow as a kid.

This conversation literally dominated the evening. Soon we were in a sitting room listening to stories from each other regarding hunts, memories, drunk uncles falling off horses and being so cold yet staying put in case a deer came out of the bush.

I noted my wife looking over at us a few times as some of the stories got pretty animated and the laughter was constant and loud.

The evening ended for us at 11 as my wife works in the morning. I have several new contacts in my phone now and some tentative plans for next hunting season!

Sometimes all it takes in life is to present yourself as you are to strangers and let the chips fall as they may. Chips fell very well last night.

[jednastka]

Congratulations, Huntingstuff;


I wish I had been that successful in my professional life when I attended similar events.


It does take a confident soul to raise such a topic with a group of strangers.


Vic

[livinthedream]

Awesome! Good on you. Hopefully some promising contacts and if they really are into hunting and the outdoors perhaps there might be some honey holes to explore in the future. People with money like to buy land! Merry Christmas!

[alder]

Great story.

[Savage Bacon]

What a relief. If it went a different route, it could have been a very long night.

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[Curtsyneil]

Like mom always taught us never judge a book by it’s cover and in this story it seems like both sides kinda we’re doing that but in the end money or average joes always usually are cut from the same jib. Just took alittle joking and a topic to get things comfortable. Love the story too funny. I never feel uncomfortable telling people I’m a hunter cause it’s what I love to do.

[catnthehat]

Excellent! Living in Ft. McMurray, there was always a plethora of hunters and outdoorsman that my wife and I worked with, so I never felt put of place
In fact it was almost the exact opposite- " Hey, glad you came! I've been having trouble with my rifle....!"
Cat

[elkhunter11]

It sounds like a great time, sometimes it just takes one person to get the topic going, then everyone joins in. Some people that may not have felt comfortable introducing the topic, suddenly feel comfortable, when they realize that so many other people share their interest.

[huntinstuff]

Originally Posted by Savage Bacon

What a relief. If it went a different route, it could have been a very long night.

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True. I had the advantage of being relatively unknown so if I excused myself early, no one would have missed me

[Twisted Canuck]

Yeah, you just never know who people are, until you chat. I've had similar experiences, most ended well. Running my skate sharpening business in my garage, I've met quite a few gents who play senior mens league. I had one fellow show up, dressed very professionally, wearing a $2k wool overcoat and driving an Escalde. He saw my gun safe, rifle cases, arrows in quiver, and in 5 minutes we were talking about our hunting season, and he's showing pics of a monster bull elk his little brother got. Great conversation, real ice breaker.

Another fellow comes by, really down to earth, dressed blue collar (like me, jeans and plaid lumberjack shirt), looks like he just came from lumber yard, we also chatted about hunting. I didn't notice his truck was a Roush F-350. My son tells me later what 9 figure company he owns, and how this is the guy who loaned him his Maclaren for cruising around last summer.

You just never know. I'm just myself, same as Randy, and that generally works out ok when meeting people. If it doesn't, that's fine too.

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[Hunter Trav]

Very cool that the night went well like that, although I'm sure you could've had alot of fun if it had gone the other way as well...lol

[roper1]

Fine end to a fine evening & the wife is impressed. All good right there. Life a bunch easier not trying to be something we aren't.

[waldedw]

Hey that's great the party went well and you and had an enjoyable evening and met some new people with something in common, over my 50 years of attending various work related parties I have had some similar experiences and some that well when people found you I was a hunter and shooter it was like I had the plague, but that never bothered me it just makes for a short night, I will never apologize for being what I am

[MR.K]

All good stories
Every man I've met (successful or regular joe) still puts his pants on one leg at a time!

[ey212]

This reminds me. Back in uni I once received a piece of career advice: don't give up on your hobby, because one day when you're doing it as a middle-aged, well-into-your-career person, you will realize that it is the best way to genuinely connect with people.

After many years of finishing school, I gradually grew more and more appreciative of this advise.

Thanks for sharing your story!

[thumper]

I had a heart attack last month, and one of the questions on a rehab form I had to fill out, was ‘What goal do you want to set for yourself for the next year? ‘. Well, honestly, my goal was to be able to take part in the Primitive Season Wainwright HUnt next November - as I should have enough priority in 2024 !

Well, that was enough to get my male nurse going, and our hunting stories got interrupted by the cardiac doctor, who had to join in with his Alberta hunting stories, and the angioplasty gal had to join in with big buck pictures on her phone! We should come up with some secret handshake or something!

[KBF]

I didn’t have any very in-depth conversations like that at my old work parties, which was surprising as heavy equipment mechanics and farm kids have the same hobby. Except where I worked, needless to say it was no big deal getting as many days off Oct-Nov as I wanted since nobody else hunted