the dinner party

Mr. and Mrs. Donner being unable to procreate and never resolved on adopting felt out of company in holidays. They had a happy life; they were deeply in love, both with a great sense of humor and many hobbies to fill their free time. However, in holidays they felt under the pressure of being lonely when two were very scarce which led them to invite their two nephews and the daughter of their intimate friend, who passed away ten years ago, the three with a more diabolic sense of morals than their aunt and uncle .   

9 pm, dinner, in a restaurant, at the New Year’s Eve:

‘I am so glad to see you all again’, said Mrs. Donner, ‘I wish we could do this every day’. ‘I agree with you dear, I will try to procrastinate as much as I can tonight’, added Mr. Donner giggling and then joined by his wife, the three gave complementing smiles but remained silent. ‘We are very honored by your invitation aunt and uncle’, said Samira their nephew with a very condescending smile, as previewed by Nazem the other nephew, he smirked then. ‘Thank you dear’, was said and followed by an interval of silence while they waited for the waiter. ‘I saw the research you made Mrs. Donner’, said Ginny, their late friend’s daughter. ’The one about the constancy of the distribution of the safari wild life and the difficulty, even the impossibility of animals to effectively propagate to overcome extinction when the natural reserve areas do not allow this natural distribution to happen’, Mrs. Donner simply shrugged, ‘it is a theory still’,

 ‘I would still love to talk more about it’      

‘Is there a specific program you think of producing?’

‘I hope so; I believe it offers an advanced way of looking at the problem’

‘Of course dear I would love to talk about it, I will even provide you with some unreleased data that I thought required more looking into it, and you can do the work for me’

‘Thank you Mrs. Donner’

Mr. Donner had this proud look in his eyes and held his wife’s hand, ‘it interested me also, I look forward to your next research, dear’. ‘You are a very successful couple’ complemented Samira, ‘oh Sammy, I only deal with numbers’

‘Not at all, that is an exaggerated humility you are a very famous CFO, most of the companies you worked with do well in the stock market, and recently it had been reported that you grow very competitive and only would accept… how I would say it “hopeless companies”’, reported Ginny as the professional journalist she is. Mr. Donner looked guilty of the competitive crime and his wife had the same proud look he previously had.

‘Look, finally the waiter’, quietly shouted Mrs. Donner, ‘Nazem would you order for your uncle, and me you have the most sophisticated taste, but remember only chicken dishes, it is our tradition for good luck’. Nazem took the menu, scanned its content briefly and made the order.

Samira:

My aunt is a sweet woman, but sometimes I begin to believe her decidedly ignorant, kind of self-denial maybe… anyway. “Good luck” God, it is frustrating, you could just said nothing, Nazem knows it is because he cannot afford a steak and he is all-sensitive about it and consequently ruins our dinners. We all have to tip toe about this fact because his mother kind of descend from a royal family so he is all pretensions and would love nothing more than to preserve the status. He would seize any opportunity to show case his “excellent” education, paid by his grandfather, unfortunately useless, for he never got the company job he thought would suit him. His current job would provide for him just fine if not for his expenses, he thrive to appear rich by taking loans to buy a fancy car, fancy clothes, he should learn economy, and when I suggest that to him only as an investment bank associate, he rudely refused… great now I am frustrated.

I think it was very clear three years ago, at our annual dinner with aunt and uncle. That night, I ordered a wagyu sirloin steak as usual, for it is my favorite and let us not forget the expensive watch my boyfriend at that time had given me for my birthday, what brand was it? Swiss, I am sure. Ginny ordered something expensive also, I remember her saying she had a good year and wanted to reward herself, a much deserved one she is one of smartest people I know. Nazem, jealous, ordered the same as I did, he even said in a conceited manner that I had ordered well.

Nazem scarcely said anything all the evening, he did not even complement aunt and uncle on their effort, on their invitation, well… huh, I guess he did not have anything particular he would like to tell.

Well, then the bill came, we, as usual, offered to split the check, I kind of wanted to pay some of Ginny’s meal, I adore her, Nazem made a comment alluded that he wished each one of us paid for his dish. He even seemed shocked by the price and fumbled about his wallet, poor thing, I would be a lot nicer to him if he was not so arrogant. I was very moved I even mentioned it to my boyfriend at that time. He would be more sympathised with if he wasn’t so rigorous about his descent, it’s the only subject he likes to talk of, always talking about how the summers he used to spend at his grandfather castle are the most exquisite.

Nazem:

Fine, chickens, but aunt you grow sensitive about it; however, I adore that you try to make Ginny feel as part of our family. When did her father die? 9 years ago. The man worked his way up the social ladder for sure, but the amiable man never forgot where he came from, always humble around aunt and uncle and most respecting to my parents. Naïve Ginny is not like him, she takes advantage of the success of her career to move in circles that are more sophisticated, and she is unfortunately much slighted. Her manners, her taste could be improved and maybe then, she will be preserved better. Though who am I kidding you have to be born elegant, to be educated in the ways of better societies in your infancy, after some thought she may have tried to teach herself some etiquette, for her style seems forced.

Three years ago, her handling of the eating utensils was… embarrassing, her dress was evidently chosen by her, had a floral pattern, expensive? Yes, but seemed forced, for people who wished to have the appearance of fashion. She ordered a steak she never had before, I am sure, and then she didn’t cut it properly, had the knife in her left hand many times, awfully huge bites she took as she never had eaten before. Aunt noticed and she was horrified; Ginny spoke to her with a mouth full of food. To make things worse, she had a stomachache and kept burping, the only thought of it hurts me physically, I guess one have to get used to it since childhood, and she definitely should not have ordered it half cooked.    

Ginny:

Nazem and Samira are at it again. They kept glaring at each other since they arrived; they have absolutely no respect to their aunt and uncle. They use these dinners to continue their rivals. They do not speak to each other, they only share these contempt looks. Nothing can make them behave this way but money, Mr. and Mrs. Donner inheritance. I bet they are both terrified that they are going to give it to charity, properly. It is more likely that they would give it to them if they were more attending to them, they should, Mr. and Mrs. Donner both are so loveable. I talk to them frequently, more than Nazem and Samira. They love me as their own, imagine if they leave me their money instead of Nazem and Samira, it would piss the two of them off.

The chicken thing started two years; it was about something happened three years ago. Nazem and Samira as usual were silently quarreling; they ordered the same thing and never talked. They compete for their aunt and uncle affection by trying to appear more like them and complementing them. However, they are very smart couple it would be very hard to fool them. I think I am more like them, even if we are not connected with blood; Nazem cannot get a hold of a respectful job and Samira got her job by connection. Mr. and Mrs. Donner do notice it but they are far too decent to say anything. Nazem and Samira, being unable to lose any chance to prove superiority, ordered the most expensive steak they can afford, which was the same. They both have insufferable materialistic tendencies, they go for over the top measures to prove that they are the most elegant. I ordered a steak, it was expensive, I had a good year and wanted to treat myself, they wanted to share the check to show off their manners to their aunt and uncle, they must knew that I sent them an expensive vase as a gift, a beautiful artifact, to show my admiration to them, and they got jealous.

I did not notice that Mr. and Mrs. Donner got tired of their quarrelling until they suggested to only ordering chicken. They asked if I was okay with it, ‘let’s only order chicken, Ginny’, they said, I was completely fine with it, they must know how much I esteem them, and they also respect me, we are more similar on the intellect level.

Mr. Donner:

They are all nice kids, it didn’t have to be a tradition, but since my favourite dish is steaks and I couldn’t have it no more, they all agreed. This IBS is torturing me; I cannot believe that I have to restrain myself from dairies and red meats.