Around 5pm we arrived at the secret parking entrance.
Then were quickly whisked through back hallways...
Until we arrived at the 60th floor function room that had been totally transformed for the occasion.
They had really gone all out, blanketing the walls with an array of giant mounted photos and mementos from a career spanning over 30 years.
One such memento was a poster-sized copy of the 1976 hiring letter from Lori's very first job at Chase where she was offered a monstrous salary of $18,500 and no vacation time for her first year of employment.
Needless to say, Big Smershy is kind of a big deal.
60th floor. Overlooking the beautiful light-filled downtown NYC.
We were excited. This was going to be awesome.
We watched a preview of the special tribute video montage.
Then, after we had toured the whole party setup, they hurried us off to a secret room to hide while the reception started. (Katie's surprise appearance was to come during the little tribute speeches but right before dinner.)
And then...the nice waiter man brought us some of the delicious food that was being enjoyed by the party guests.
Turkey Samosas, Pumpkin Tortellini skewers, Hazelnut-crusted scallops, Crabcakes, Salmon Tartar Cones...incredible.
Also there were special pizzas flown in from Latrobe, PA where Lori grew up.
Mmmmm....
Finally it was time for the big surprise.
We watched from the back of the room as speeches began. (Big Smershy was sitting down in the front of the room so there was no way she'd see us.)
Katie spent a final few minutes preparing her speech.
And then it was time. Smershy's dad was up at the podium explaining how his daughter had been unable to make it and then he began reading the speech she had written to her mom. After he read the first few lines, Smershy took over, saying her words through her wireless microphone so that her voice filled the room.
The camera crew followed her as she made her way through the crowd.
It was a pretty sweet entrance.
Big Smershy was shocked.
Katie finished her speech...
Then Lori gave her own emotional speech...
Everyone cried.
Then she concluded and the congratulatory mayhem ensued.
Sandra was there too since she works at Chase and has been enjoying several months of epic mentorship thanks to the Kwan-Smershio alliance.
Katie worked the crowd like a pro.
And so much more delicious food was enjoyed.
AND there was a White Chocolate Fountain...
As the party wound down, there were a few final outbursts of joy and dancing.
Everyone said their goodbyes.
Mike jacked a favorite family photo from the wall...
And that's it.
31 years.
The End.
-ish.
