Scene one of a one scene story
The bemusement showed on my face as I tried to hide my blushing cheeks from the general public. I was situated at a table in a restaurant full of family and strangers with whom I had some connection that I was unaware of. “oh how delightful darling!” trailed a voice of one of the elder ladies present, they type of lady who demands that she herself holds court and that we are all meek serfs to her whims and fancies. The starter was brought to the table-mini quiches- which I started with idle impatience. “well I see one of us shows no sense of being civilised” her voice addressed me, “were you not once a student boy? Did you not learn decorum”. At this point it is poignant to say that she was the only one with no starter having sent her quiche back to the chef for being ‘too green’ (broccoli one has to assume). “that makes two of us!” I replied with bored abandonment longing to be free of this social necessity. “what is that to mean?” she asked me suspiciously and crossly, “what is one insinuating?” (she refrained from any gestures of noise that one invariably ascertains with such questions). “oh simply that I am incorrect to have started before others, in they eyes of society and that you are also incorrect to make others wait at the fancy of your will!” I replied, avoiding eye contact and eating as I spoke. There was a general uneasiness at my comments from around the table. My aunt tried to draw the attention away from the lady and I and develop the strains of a conversation but the lady was not yet through with me. “are you accusing me of being uncivilised?” she enquired nastily with a cold voice, “no, let him answer!” she said brushing away my mother’s attempts to shield me from the question. “indeed,” I replied in my unconfident way, “for civilisation is built on the grounds of the people and making the people wait for your whims is quite an absurd rejection of the ethics of society." She leer at me “I see you are educated. Education is wasted on the young and you, my boy, are the proof” she exclaimed in a manner that she clearly was hoping to entice others in our presence to rise up as one against me. I smiled. “what did you study?” she asked, “something flimsy such as philosophy?” “I thought I was therefore I was!” I replied in a tired joke that filled me with self satisfaction, “and what do you do my good lady? Since retirement often frees ones time if not their mind” “retirement!” she blustered at me flabbergasted, “retirement! Why I am only fifty three, still in my prime.” I inadvertently laughed at this, shortly, drawing the reproach of my father, “such an undisciplined cur!” she continued, “such a smear on our genetic pattern” (I assume we were related then), “I knew he would be no good! Did you know his uncle? Never met such a bad blood in all my years!” we were interrupted politely, but firmly, by the waitress enquiring if we were now ready for the main course. “if it is half as delightful as the company I’m sure I could not say no!” I declared in my self ironic manner gleamed from too many books and the numbing of education.
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