A Martime's View

"Be nice to our company" - Often, when I was young, I heard this expression. Or we were asked to go outside and play as it was "Grown-up talk". We were thrown into the invisible world of "Leave the adults to Talk".

But in our little world of the back yard we did not learn to communicate on a social level.

The invisible world of polite communication habits was build and we are becoming less and less able to be nice in general conversation. But really, table conversation should be easily.

Had a social club dinner, last night; with 150 people all coming together for a end of the season party. Each table had 8 people or 4 couples, and after about 5 years of 3 such parties per year; this was the first time I got a really bad table. (bad company. If the word applies)

One individual did all the talking. and his wife laughed at his stupid remarks. Remarks which poked fun at anyone at the table who dare to speak. This individual was classy, as he ordered the best wine, pour it to the glass with a turning motion. But after 20 minutes, no-one dare to raise a subject of discussion.

As you can imagine, with a 3 hour dinner, the table was the the loudest in the room. His voice and his wife laughing at him. Even when the music began to get table members involved with a arm over shoulder sing-along fun atmosphere; the members of the table sat uncommitted.

One might have lived through this dinner if it was not that the jokes got cruder and cruder.

Imagine, when everyone was eating the common meal (beef roast) his wife send her back to be better cooked and the comments were "Bloods dripping out of it" "How can you eat that?" You are afraid to send it back because the cook will spit on it" Followed by the clearing of his thoat.

Yes, you are sick... Imagine those other 6 people sitting at the table eating.

To be polite is just a matter of respect for others. Anyone, who is forced to share a table with such a fool, can only be said to have character. Even myself, when he was using the folded table napkin as a bra and a hat; I held my tongue as I wanted to say " Use it as a diaper, and act your age"

It is an invisible world which our children have to be shown... If we don't show them how to communicate and respect others by our actions; who will? Certainly it is not taught in the schools.