The Dinner Party A Learning Experience in the Etiquette of Hospitality for Both Myself and My Fictional Guests
My first apartment. A small studio-but it's mine. Or, at least, I'mpaying rent on it, so as far as I'm concerned, that makes it mine, allmine! I feel like a grown up for the first time. Thus, I have decided tocelebrate by having a dinner party. The trouble is, I'm new to the area,and all of my friends are still back home. But I'm inventive andresourceful. So, I decided, since I don't have any real-life friends, Imight as well invite my fictional ones instead! There was, however, one other potential problem-the smallness orvirtual lack there of, of kitchen space in my studio. But again, I found aquick and easy solution. I thought, perhaps the best way to hold a dinnerparty so that all the strangers who are present get to know one anotherbetter is to hold a potluck, the sort of party where everyone brings his orher favorite foods to the affair. Asking the guests to bring music as wellmight be a good idea too, especially since my guests were particularlydiverse. I did, being an oldies buff, have a LP or turntable as well as astereo system, and a Victrola, too, for some of the 19th century guest!Guest 1: Sammy from John Updike's "A&P" But the first guest wasn't so old.
Iwas also gradually beginning to realize that, rather than being a positive,London's "To Build a Fire" provision of liquid rather than solidrefreshment was having a rather deleterious effect upon my guests, ant notproving to be an asset. ) Good drink doesn't make a party either, or even aseating arrangement or a bunch of guests that know one another well ordon't know one another well. My heart skipped a beat when I saw quiteclearly that her lovely things were homemade. I mean, Sammy is just a kid, Emily and Mathilde and her husband areadolescents at heart, and London and Poe have never sent over heroes whohave any common sense, what so ever. I must attack that wonderful young man with an apron, I suppose,because I certainly won't be caught dead, dancing with the man Imarried-even I know that simply isn't done!" I noticed that when she saidthat 'it isn't done' that her voice had taken on a Southern lilt. Is it really true that Pomeranians are descended from ancient Mongoliansled dogs' Still, I was happy everyone was beginning to get along. " Then,Sammy plunked down a big bag of A&P brand potato chips, unopened, and Mr. "My mom said that wasn't enough," hesheepishly admitted, "and she's bringing a Jell-O-mold later, but shedidn't trust me to take it because she thought I'd break it. All it needs is character-particularly onecentral and stable character who is strong, who knows how to makeconnections and a community happen, even in the smallest of environments. " "She is a wonderful cook," rejoined her husband, "you should see whatshe makes with calves brains and sour wine, it's marvelous. I told her she reallyoughtn't have. "See' They're from Lux Bakery" She pointed to the name onthe side of the box. Personally, my apartment is rather old and if I grew nervous each and everytime there was a strange noise here or there, I'd go mad myself, but whensomeone keeps raving that 'it isn't the plumbing, it is his heart,'sometimes it is best to leave well enough alone and stay away. I forgave her for thisas the guest's behavior and conversation grew gradually more coherentagain.
Common topics in this essay:
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Lux Bakery,
Domino's Bar-B-Q,
Tale Heart,
Conclusions Drawn,
Mathilde Necklace,
Miss Emily,
Build Fire,
Jack Daniels,
Super Salty,
potato chips,
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jack london's,
'it isn't,
bringing food,
build fire,
miss emily,
southern lilt,
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Acceptance Essays
