There is a lounge for donors (Black Bear Club?) where you can buy beer, wine and mixed drinks and there's a free buffet. I think booze may also be available in the club seating. The donor lounge can be pretty crowded at times and you can't take drinks out of the room. Donors are allowed one guest in the lounge.
It's an early Spring morning in the quiet calm of the Berkshires when two cars arrive in the parking lot outside Patrick's Pub in Pittsfield MA, as dawn was beginning to break through the foggy mist of the previous evening. The men greeted each other briefly and slowly made their way to the building, which was otherwise closed for business due to the ongoing pandemic and restrictions still kept in place in the Commonwealth. Despite the modest setting, big things were afoot in this remote locale as the men settled in, and worked through the preliminaries ...
BB: It's been awhile, hasn't it, Jace? How's the family?
JF: Too long, Bennie. Everything's fine with the family.
BB: So what's a nice Canadian boy like you, doing in a place like Odessa?
JF: (chortling) Odessa's been a godsend, given the restrictions up home, and even here. You?
BB: Family's great. Good last season, new job in the Downeast, just had twins ...
JF: Great, congrats!! My oh my, you've certainly got a lot on your plate ... so to speak!
BB: Not getting much sleep these days, that's for sure. By the way, thanks for coming here.
JF: Yeah, my pleasure, no worries. No prying eyes, midway between Amherst and Troy ...
BB: Pretty much. How did you manage to get over the border, Jace?
JF: That's for me to know, and for you to find out. I will say, gift certs work well at the border ...
BB: Always thinking outside the box. Well played, big guy. Let's talk turkey now ...
JF: (( ... mmmmm ... turkey ... mmmmm ... ))
The two men would indeed begin to "talk turkey" in the figurative sense, as the man doing most of the talking outlined his plans for his new assignment in the Downeast, and the other man listened intently. Shared experiences entered the discussion in short order ...
BB: ... so you understand what we're looking at in the coming years up in Orono, ayuh?
JF: (chortling) Bennie, ferchrissakes, you're already talking like the local yokels, stop it!
BB: (laughing). Yeah, it's catchy, isn't it? You say "eh?" and I say "ayuh", right?
JF: You got that right, pardner ...
BB: ... says Mister Texas Big Boots, right?!? Anyway, last season in Odessa ...
JF: ... yeah, it was a tough one. Rebuilding, lots of losses, but getting things turned around ...
BB: ... exactly. Which is why I think you're the right guy for the job up in Orono with us.
JF: That's one way to look at it ... but yeah, I suppose you're right. Now, for the money ...
Talk would turn into the usual nuts and bolts of a new job offer, with one man doing most of the pitching, and the more rotund Canadian doing most of the listening. As it turns out, the job prospect had been following a path trodden in much the same way as his pursuer, so there was a common understanding of the pros and cons. Of course, money and job stability would eventually percolate towards the top of the discussion. The prospect ironically was being asked to step away from leading his own program, to work for a man who had earned his reputation as the best recruiter of his generation, yet would be leading his own program for the first time. Intangibles entered the discussion, in hopes of clinching a deal ...
BB: ... so the money is marginally better, taxes will be a step back, benefits will be way better ...
JF: ... I'm not so sure about that, Bennie. More people in Odessa than in Bangor ...
BB: ... university benefits, Jace.
JF: Taco Tuesdays are pretty sweet down here, Ben. The real thing, too. Not the faux TT crap.
BB: Fair enough, you got that going for you. Did I mention free membership in the Black Bear Club?
JF: Not yet anyway. Please, do tell ...
BB: Six magical words, and please make sure you write this down ...
JF: Shoot, I'm ready, what is it?
BB: Free all-you-can-eat buffet ...
JF: (( ... eyes now bulging, mouth watering ... )) BINGO, SIGN ME UP!!!!!!!!!!!!
... and now, in the words of the immortal Paul Harvey, you know the rest of the story. ;-)