Why I Avoid Pretension At All Costs

Hello folks, let’s chat… It was a dressy white tablecloth event. A formal dining area beautifully decorated and adorned with chandeliers, impeccably mannered servers tending to well-dressed guests– the whole nine yards. For me, it made the moment that much better.

While I do try to act like I have enough sense to come in out of the rain when I get invited to places like this– especially if I’m the speaker, and I was– I refuse to put on any airs. I can mix and mingle with anybody but pretention is a kill-joy and I do love me a good laugh. It’s been my experience that even the swanky events deliver, maybe even more so.

I was finishing a delicious salad at the head table when I noticed the woman opposite me enjoying a small bowl of soup. I mentioned that it looked good. She agreed that it was delicious.

“I’m not sure if it’s an etouffee or what,” she offered. “I didn’t order it. The waiter just set it in front of me.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess because he noticed I wasn’t eating salad.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With that, the other diners chimed in. “It looks like a seafood bisque,” someone said. We all nodded. And that’s when I noticed that a

second bowl had been placed to my immediate left, but that seat was still empty. My suggestion that the rest of us take our spoons and have a taste test was met with hearty appreciation. I was reaching for the bowl when the waiter returned with our dinner plates, the prerequisite chicken breasts with veggies.

“Excuse me, sir.” My new friend addressed the waiter. “Can you tell me what type of soup this is?”

The man hesitated. “Well,” he said. “That’s not soup, ma’am. That’s sauce for the chicken.”

To her great credit, when Soup Girl realized she was knocking out everybody’s gravy, she laughed as loud any of us.

As I’ve so often said, “Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves. They will never cease to be amused.” You can quote me on that.

Hugs, Shellie