Politics and pizza served for 21 years

POST FALLS - When Skip Hissong and the late Cliff Hayes had lunch at Pizza Hut in the spring of 1993, little did they know they were onto something big.

"My wife (Jody) drove by and saw us, so she stopped and had lunch with us," Hissong said. "She said 'Some of us have to work,' and went to leave, when Cliff handed her the bill. He said, 'Here, the new person buys.'

"Cliff then said, 'We've got something going here."

Indeed, they did.

The loose-knit group that calls themselves the Friday Lunch Bunch has been meeting each Friday at the Post Falls Pizza Hut for the past 21 years. It is inviting all alumni and friends to the Lions Club Grand Pavilion at Q'emiln Park on Friday at noon for brats and beer at an anniversary celebration.

"We figure that we're 21 now, so we can have beer," Hissong said.

Donations will be accepted to help pay for the food and drinks. Those interested in attending should contact Hissong as soon as possible at 773-7111 or skipjody92@yahoo.com with a head count so the group can prepare accordingly.

"We've had more than 300 people attend over the years and we'd like to get as many there as possible," Hissong said. "Nobody is the fish (to have to foot the entire lunch bill) this week."

There's no agenda during the gatherings - just old-fashioned, face-to-face chit-chatting in the age of social media, gadgets and gizmos. Generally seven or so people show up, but at times there have been as many as 20.

"A lot of rumors have been killed when we get together," Hissong said. "But I think some have also gotten started."

Attendees have ranged from elected officials such as Hissong - a Post Falls City Council member and businessman - to the late Hayes, former Post Falls police chief and Kootenai County clerk, to those who work in the private sector.

"Cliff loved to have conversations. Not necessarily argue, but heavily discuss issues," Hissong said.

The bunch had discussed gathering for its 20th anniversary before Hayes died last year and has decided that it needs to finally act on the idea.

The nonprofit Post Falls Community Volunteers, which raises funds to sponsor community concerts and help those in need, sprang from the group's conversations. The name-change of Post Falls' Animal Control Division to 'Animal Safety' also blossomed from the bunch.

"It seems like we talk a lot about community events," said Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug.

The group has the logistics of its regular Friday gatherings down pat. Each attendee puts in $2 for lottery scratch tickets and a $1 tip for the waitress. In case there's a big lottery win, a contract with everyone's signature details how the money will be spent. The largest amount the group has won with the lottery tickets was $200.

As for who buys the pizza?

After having the new-person-pays method ran its course, new rules were implemented.

For instance, one rule said if you missed three gatherings, you reverted back to a "new" attendee and had to pay.

And when political candidates showed up, they were the obvious target.

If anyone's cellphone rang during the outing, that took care of the bill in some cases.

And there's the pass test. During some gatherings, the bill will be passed around the table until someone volunteers to pay.

"Sometimes it goes around two or three times, but it always gets paid," said Tom Malzahn, the county's treasurer. "We've never had to do the dishes."