A Filial Mishap Provides Endless Dinner Conversation...

An involuntary fast before bed.

It could have happened to anybody, don't you think? My Dad is visiting and for days before his arrival I planned different meal strategies in my head. We are a food orientated lot and food is never far from conversation or mind! The first meal should be super and incidentally also supper.

Living in the countryside equates to not having a supermarket on every corner ( thank God ) and involves a 30-50 km round trip. Yes, we try and organize shopping excursions with other chores. As I wanted to only give the freshest and best to my Dad, I was going to shop on the day of his arrival.

Best laid plans and so forth...The night before his supposed arrival, my phone rang at about 8.20 pm and as you might imagine, I was almost ready for slumber on the couch.

" Biggi, honey, I am just outside Güssing and will be there in half an hour! "

Oh, I was so happy that my Dad was coming a day earlier but also had to suddenly rush about doing the last minute details for his bedroom etc ( which I had planned to do the next morning...).

Oh, it was so nice to see my Dad driving through the gate. After all the greetings and hugs, I almost whispered, as one does when we're worried about the answer:

" Papa, I am sure you've eaten already? "
" No honey, I just wanted to get here sooner and haven't had anything since breakfast. "

Oh dear, a dilemma indeed, as there was not that much food in the fridge. Somehow I managed to whisk up a batch of pancakes with organic eggs from a neighbour. The thing is, when you are not hungry yourself, you never realize that others might be! Look, a light supper of pancakes did my Dad no harm, but my reputation plenty...

My little mishap regarding groceries, has at least provided future humorous dinner conversations that will garner a laugh or two for sure! My Dad has been teasing me since then about the fact that I had waited for him to arrive so he could go shopping with me to stock up our fridge!

In fact, my Dad has told the story with a few new details, such as:

" You know, my eyes hurt when I opened the fridge, because there wasn't much in it and the light was so very bright! "

Ha, that was a witty addition and I am sure that in a year's time the story might end up on the comedy circuit. We are a teasing lot indeed, and as I know it was an honest mishap, I can take all the ribbing coming my way...

Talking to my neigbour, a well versed father & grandfather, I happened to tell him my Foody episode, because honestly I did feel a bit bad letting my Day go to bed hungry, but trying to hear a " oh, could have happened to anybody "...My neighbour listened to my plight and then turned to me with a grin on his face:

" Oh, you tried that one! I am glad I'm not the only Dad who fell for it. "

Biggi