The Braggarts

It was one of those pleasant evenings at Trixie’s where she had invited six of us to dinner. When we arrived, Trixie was on the phone and it sounded like a one-way conversation since all Trixie seemed to do was grunt the odd yes and no. Finally, she explained to the caller that her visitors had arrived and cut off, poured herself a stiff shot and knocked it down and seemed quite perturbed. Upon inquiry as to why she was not herself, she explained to us that if we were to meet her cousin Zelma or have to listen to the crap she had to say over the telephone, a regular feature, we would either slit our wrists or be in the lunatic asylum.

Zelma, a distant relative of Trixie’s, whose husband had made it to the top in some continent was loaded and when he passed away Zelma was the beneficiary of his massive life insurance pay off. After the pay out, Zelma had decided that it was time to return to Colombo. When she did, she bought herself a fancy penthouse and got it all spruced up by an interior person and included a few knickknacks and art decor pieces and was now living the life of Riley. Having no children all she did was befriend someone of importance and entertain all the time. All this was fine, other than for the fact that every time she had a soiree she felt obliged to call Trixie the next day and brag about her guest list and how wonderful they were and how mesmerised they were with her penthouse tastefully decorated by her.  

Zelma, a distant relative of Trixie’s, whose husband had made it to the top in some continent was loaded and when he passed away Zelma was the beneficiary of his massive life insurance pay off. After the pay out, Zelma had decided that it was time to return to Colombo

She usually followed this discussion by talking of what she had whipped up in her show kitchen for her guests, describing in detail each of the items in her five-course menu and how surprised she was at how well they turned out and how the guests were in awe of her culinary talents.  

Such telephone calls were a trigger to Trixie’s migraine.  Trixie neither cares about Zelma’s guest list nor the menus turned out by her to feed these fancy friends who Zelma claimed were so dear and near to her. We quickly cheered Trixie up by diverting the conversation to a recent scandal in Colombo, which seems to be a daily occurrence, and had a wonderful evening thereafter. 

Getting a ride back home from Suji, a Psychologist, we discussed how having to put up with the likes of a Zelma must be awful. Suji explained that “most people who brag about themselves are either longing to be accepted or want to fit in, especially in the company of those they feel are better or more superior to them.”  She said that it was only a very few people, apart from the wannabes and scroungers, who would want to associate with braggarts, who always portray themselves to be on top of the world, 
It undoubtedly was an evening of learning of a new species !

Suji explained that “most people who brag about themselves are either longing to be accepted or want to fit in, especially in the company of those they feel are better or more superior to them”