Current Times

After a long absence, Trixie Jolikorapalla and I met for a quiet dinner in her home.  Rarely moving around with people myself or visiting their homes, I find a visit to Trixie’s home always a treat.  There was Trixie, in her tastefully decorated house, totally relaxed, as is usual.  After exchanged greetings and taking care of the drinks, Trixie and I sat down for a natter.  ‘Nothing,’ was Trixie’s response to my question on her plans for the coming festive season.  She then went on to elaborate that though she was comfortable financially and was able to afford the food and drink at its current prices, she felt that it was not a time to indulge in any form of frivolity. Trixie was definite that she was not going to invite anyone home, especially her well to do friends. 

Instead, she intended using the money she would spend helping her domestics and a few families who needed financial help but were unable to ask.  Trixie said that it made her feel that much lighter when she had decided not to ‘feed the fed’ this  coming season.

Trixie, in her usual humorous style, related to me her latest experience at a neighbour’s dinner party and the conversation over dinner.  The first, the great number of our population being barely able to afford a single meal a day, and this whilst drinking bubbly and stuffing their faces with a plethora of food.  The second, how they have fed so many people and given rations to make others’ lives easier, implying that their intention was to look after these people throughout the year. The third, their travels overseas and the costs of the air tickets, hotels and so on. She then giggled saying that the guest seated next to her had leaned over to ask if she knew of a very cheap caterer as she had to organise her mother’s alms giving and did not want to spend much.  This, coming from the woman who had just bragged about her recent purchase of an apartment and how much she had rented it for. 

“Best is to have a handful of close, like-minded people get together than have these loud-mouthed braggers who just love to show off the entire evening,” was Trixie’s take from her recent dinner invitation.  

Trixie found such vulgarity to be unbearable and has now decided not to accept invitations to soirees where she has no choice but to listen to such brash conversation and bragging. “Best is to have a handful of close, like-minded people get together than have these loud-mouthed braggers who just love to show off the entire evening,” was Trixie’s take from her recent dinner invitation.  

The evening I spent with Trixie was such fun, since we knew some of these guests and of the many skeletons in their cupboards.  After having a simple but tasty dinner,  I came back home thinking how great it is to have a sincere friend like Trixie, who is so grounded and with no false airs and graces. Nothing like an entertaining conversation over dinner to brighten an evening.