Thanks...But...!!!

I remember those days when my parents used to go out on important functions to travel out of Bangalore. It used to fall on a weekend, and generally, my brother and I stayed back home fighting out minor squabbles. I would make it a point to tell my mother not to tell the news of her travel anywhere outside, lest neighbours and relatives invite us for lunch or dinner. Anything appealed to us, except going out to somebody else's house for the sake of food. That has somehow not fascinated me or my brother much. Both of us would rather shell out that extra money on a good hotel outside and fill our stomach. But, going out to somebody's house exclusively for the sake of food is a strict NO NO.

OK! If a couple of extra bucks have to be saved, save it on other things. Why cringe to buy good food? In all my years, anywhere, I have never cared to find out what my neighbour is cooking or what is going to be offered by whom. I still remember the times when my brother and I used to stay back at home, and find excuses to avoid other people's homes. Thanks, aunty! We are just going to my friend's place for dinner. Thanks a lot for the invitation. We will make it some other time. What are you planning to do for tomorrow? Oh! That! We have been invited by someone else. Please don't worry! With a blatant lie, both of us would head to the hotel. It is not in the food that lies the difference. It is just that with certain people, you wouldn't want the relationship to extend beyond basic courtesies. So, when that happens, your conscience would not permit you to go to their place just for the sake of food. It would be an uncomfortable proposition for the giver as well as the taker. Again, it is a different matter that if I go to some people's homes, I have asked them what is there to eat. That is altogether a different relationship. I would hate to go somewhere, get involved in family talk when least interested, with deep sighs and grins leading nowhere, with one part of the face staring at the food, and the other part of the face askewedly facing the person, all in heights of unexplainable unpleasantry. A half filling meal, with half hearted smiles and answers, and then fleeing the place as if you were getting chased by a lion. That's being a thorough diplomat, and for nothing in the world would I want to invoke diplomacy from my side or from the other side.

Inspite of all this, there was an interesting incident which still fills me with rage and laughter. Contrasting, yeah, but that's the way it turned out. Once, my parents had to go to a function during the weekend. As usual, my brother and I opted to stay back at home. Sadly, Mrs. X got to know about that. After having run out of lies, and having been caught red handed, we had to go to Mrs. X's house for lunch. We were writhing uncomfortably, when Mrs. X came to me with a plate of adai. It was delicious no doubt but the supporting statement had me transfixed in amazement. Do you want one more? followed. Now, we were sort of people who wouldn't move out of the house even if there was an earthquake without eating atleast 4-5 adais. How could we explain this to Mrs. X? My brother and I exchanged furtive glances sealed in a concealed smile. Thanks to her generosity, we had one more adai on our plates. How in the world could I explain to her that it had not filled even 10% of the quota in our stomach! But, we walked out thanking her profusely for the "hearty" meal. We came out of the house, and instead of heading home, we took to the nearest hotel, ordered everything we wanted and the whet appetite was finally toned down with great difficulty.

All this done, the next day, my mother had to bear the brunt of my anger. I told her that the next time she is going out of town, let alone other people, she is not going to tell even us about the travel plans.