It is beyond the power of my pen to accurately describe a typical Thompson family dinner. Usually loud, somewhat chaotic, and always wet. Loud because children who do not control volume well are trying to talk over Patie’s even louder rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle”, the parents must be louder still to get everyone quiet again. Chaotic because we have so few people who understand the concept and execute the reality of Passing Food. Wet because someone always spills water. Always.
Tonight Mark was not feeling great and probably hoped for a more peaceful time, so he asked everyone to say something they loved. Just getting everyone to be quiet and respectfully listen to his request rather than continue to talk was a Big Deal. Patie, sit down. Nate, don’t talk. Bradford, don’t answer Nate when Dad is asking a question of the family. Ad nauseam. And I didn’t help much, because I was trying to convince Sophie that bites of meatloaf were not Evil by feeding her.
Starting with Ben, we learned that he loves Ice Cream. Sophie, meanwhile, continued to sit full-cheeked. Nate said he loved Root Beer Floats. Sophie slowly began chewing. Mark turned to her and said, “I’m sure Sophie is going to say she loved meatloaf…. Sophie, what do you love?” And she chewed a bit more and replied, “Meatloaf.”
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