aem wrote:
> On May 30, 5:50 pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>> You hear stories like this and every time you do it's just as
>> incredible. Okay, I think asking to bring the main course is
>> weird, but maybe if she'd offered to pay for it? Still. But then,
>> telling her what wines to bring?? Hello, pick it up yourself, that
>> takes no skill!
>
> Stories like this are confusing. At first glance they may seem
> outrageous, but there can be mitigating circumstances. For one thing,
> "lovely home in a nice neighborhood" may mean they all have plenty of
> money and $200 as the cost of contributing to a special party for her
> husband may seem insignificant to the chef's wife. For another, wives
> sometimes misjudge how close the friendship is between their husbands
> and third parties. She may have thought they were close enough that
> they'd welcome a big role in this surprise party. Then again, the
> chef's wife just may be thoughtless. I guess my point is to not be
> too quick to lambaste her on the basis of a second or third hand
> report. Misunderstandings between neighbors have spawned a lot of
> case studies for sociologists and lawyers. -aem

I find the entire instance too hard to comprehend. Maybe it's because I
was raised with the concept that a guest honors you by accepting an
invitation to your home. Hospitality is up there with the same rule that
says it's a good deed to visit the sick.

I have no doubts that the story is true, and I give aem credit for
attempting to find the positive side of it, but I just can't wrap my
brain around a $200 invite to a house party.


--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life