Meeting The Family

I find myself sitting at the dinner table, surrounded by a wealthy, upper-class Afrikaans family in a town that I have no other connections to. This family consists of two kids, one guy, one girl, two parents that are still happily married and two grandparents who have aged well and aged together.

The parents are both well-trained, but the mother stays at home and both kids are at university. They live in a beautiful house on a golf estate where all the neighbours are friendly and pop in for a cup of tea or a glass of wine whenever the urge arises. It’s a good life and they undoubtedly worked hard to get here.

I have only just met this family. I am a new comer, a stranger in a town far away from home. I am anxious, maybe a little terrified, because I’m hoping to make a good impression. The food smells amazing, and I’ve just been offered my second glass of wine. I dish up, hoping I haven’t taken too much or too little. I listen to the way this family lives, as they all dance their parts and wait on their cues. I do not wish to disturb their gentle balance.

The conversation turns and suddenly I find myself in a very difficult position. I disagree with the general opinion and I sit wondering whether to state my opinion or not; not wanting to make enemies yet simultaneously unable to suppress my urge to state my opinion.

Well, dinner is over and it seems I still have somewhere to sleep tonight, but I find myself wishing I hadn’t said as much, but in the morning I’ll try and gage whether I am still welcome or not.

Meeting a person’s family can be so terrifying. You have to be on your best behaviour at all times and you’re trying to remember what mom told you about saying please and thank you but you feel like an idiot because it seems that those are the only words you have said since you arrived.

I guess I was lucky because after two nights with this family I feel like I have been welcomed in. I do not feel awkward and out of place and I feel that they enjoy my contributions to the discussions, even if they are slightly different to their own opinions.

I certainly hope so anyway. Otherwise I have just made the biggest fool of myself!