If someone invites you to dinner at their house, do you feel you have an obligation to show up hungry?

When I was a kid and people invited the family over for dinner, Mom made sure we were good and hungry when we got there.

I did the same thing with my kids, and I do it still, myself.

I became very frustrated last Christmas. We went to my husband’s father’s place, where the immediate family (Dad’s 3 sons and their families,) gather every year. It’s a pot luck, in a way, but you can count on certain people bringing certain foods. We eat around 2:00.

About an hour after everyone arrived Dad said, “Ok, let’s eat!” and got himself a plate and took it to the table, which had been expanded to seat 8. As the most junior family member (Rick and I have been together 15 years, but I was still junior) I waited a moment, then realized no one else was making a move to eat.

I was “starving,” because I had skipped breakfast this day, for this reason, so I got my plate and sat next to Dad and we ate together. Alone. Dad asked me where every body was….

Eventually, about 15 minutes later, two more people trickled to the table. By that time, though, Dad and I were both finished. We sat for a moment longer to chat with the two who had sat down. Then we went into the living room where the next phase of the festivities would begin whenever everyone else got there.

I was pretty upset. Dad is 93 years old. How many more chances are we going to have to sit with him at dinner, all together?

All I can figure is that no one was hungry…..and I thought that was pretty dang rude.