Dinner is our social time, and usually, we eat in the bar. It’s open seating, reservations are not required as in the restaurant, and we never know who we will be seated with. Sometimes we meet people who have just moved in, or more often, we sit with people we know well.
Our conversation flows easily when we sit with people or individuals we know. The usual opening with people we do not know is, “where are you from? What did you do for a living, or are you a mother of children? If so, how many? Where do they live, what do they do, etc.?” In other words, we search for and make a connection. With new people, we make this our responsibility. With people we know, it’s mutual and easy.
Most are well educated, and we enjoy hearing their stories and questioning them when needed. Comfort is so important, and as expected, almost all of us choose (if the choice is available) to be with people we like and enjoy.
Often our conversation keeps us s at the table for a few hours. And just as often, it’s short and sweet. The subject matter makes a big difference. A recent example is the stories our single guest told us about her professional children and their work. We were so taken by her stories that we asked if she had written them down for her grandchildren. “No” was her answer, and we insisted that she does so as a necessary part of their histories. Apparently, we made an impression, as she recently informed us that she has begun to write her stories. Wonderful!
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