Table Manners

Disclaimer: All the characters in this story are nonfictional. So, If you find any resemblance

just read and enjoy it.

I was already so frustrated with my life I was not ready to entertain any more emotional drama. I was

trying to stay away even from the slightest conversations that would trigger arguments and hard

feelings. By now I had realized that after every heated argument irrespective of who was right or

even partially right there was a weird numbness that surrounded my head. Not sure whether I was

creating a vacuum around me or people around me were not so happy about my existence.

I was sitting alone in a meeting room, thinking about something. I was enjoying the company of my

calm and compost friend "loneliness". Suddenly I saw someone opening the door shattering the

pin-drop silence and that was my roommate and she offered me an expensive pack of dinner. She

said, “Have it, this is from one of my favorite food outlets.” I did not know what to say, I gave that

awkward grin and munched a bite. Yes, it is very awkward if you feel alienated while having food

offered by someone and you never know how the next or consecutive conversations will be. 

The next statement she said was, “You look bewildered, but you need not pay for it.” I said, “ What,

pay for looking bewildered?” She smiled and said, “No, I mean the food.” I said, “acha”  with a smile

inserted in between. There wasn’t even an open window I could gaze at, so we had to look at each

other. 

Something flashed through my mind. It was my breakfast conversation with the same roommate, no!

I can’t call it breakfast as I was offered with a plate having six pieces of cutlets and I took two

consecutively out of sheer hunger. After which she said, “You take one, request if you can take

another one and this is table manners.” Immediately I erred, with an awkward grin saying, “But I was

hungry. Sorry, something called table manners did not strike my head.”  Then followed an awkward

piece of argument which was primarily revolving around how people were taking advantage of

helping tendency with the phrase “Matlabi Log Matlabi Duniya”. I ended the argument stating “If I

was in your place and if I find my acquaintance or even someone I don’t like take two pieces of food

from my plate I wouldn’t mind.” And I think as I was already frustrated I went a bit overboard by

keeping the money for those two pieces on the table.

I somehow continued munching the food offered by her now with both of us sitting alone in a fancy

meeting room. I continued eating silently. I registered in my mind that I should never make anyone

uncomfortable at this moment, thinking about any of my past bitter experiences. 

It is just an effort of being nice to people around you.

Image source:

https://redrock.sclv.com/Meetings/Meeting-Space

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/free-dining-room-table-plans-1357118