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Dinner mate stories


Ken Greco
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I always answer the 'what did you do' question with the generic answer, retired engineer. It really was not that exciting. Most who ask the question are just trying to get a conversation going.

 

I tell 'em I'm a personal escort. Then they want to know how much I'm making. (if you have to ask...)

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Once in ATD we sat at a table of 8 where 4 of our fellow diners were from Texas but before I could worry about the talk veering into dangerous waters (see disclaimer below :)) , someone announced that they were bull farmers aka bull breeders. Conversation came to a full stop for about 10 seconds. To them it wasn't unusual, it was just their job. Being a city dweller my whole life, it was unusual LOL. But I must say it was one of our more interesting tables. Oh, and the disclaimer...I am not saying anything bad about Texans, they are delightful people and we have had many memorable dinners with Texans. But once, and isn't there always that once, we had a horrible head butting dinner with a stubbornly rude older Texan lady and we left the table before we finished our entrée.

 

...or possibly she thought you were being stubborn, didn't want to dine with you and she was successful in getting you to leave. Always two sides...;)

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]I am not saying anything bad about Texans' date=' they are delightful people and we have had many memorable dinners with Texans.[/color'][/b]

I am sure that you didn't mean it in a derogatory manner, but this rang in my ear as a version of "..... Why, some of my best friends are ..."(fill in the blank)

 

But once, and isn't there always that once, we had a horrible head butting dinner with a stubbornly rude older Texan lady and we left the table before we finished our entrée.

Actually, I don't think that there needs to be any time, not even once, to disrupt my dinner because I did not like the conversation or opinion. Head butting occurs when one or both parties decide to stop listening to the other. When that happens, cease the discussion and enjoy you entree. For goodness sake it is a conversation.

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My favorite response to those who ask me what I did for a living is "I did drugs" (no explanation). It is a true statement as I worked in the unit of a regulatory agency that handled drug products.

 

People either laugh or get very quiet.

 

I'd probably say, "so do I, but what type of work do/did you do?" Really, if someone got offended by a simple question like "what do/did you do for a living/", I'd be the one looking to change tables.

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I'd probably say, "so do I, but what type of work do/did you do?" Really, if someone got offended by a simple question like "what do/did you do for a living/", I'd be the one looking to change tables.

It’s not that question that bothers me, rather than the ten thousand that follow, firstly about the specifics of what I do, then the challenges “but how can you .....?” And then “So why .....???” And then the requests for free advice.

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First time cruiser here. So, do people generally sit at the same table with the same people? Is that how it works?

I'll be traveling with my parents (70s/80s) and I really want to spend time with them... but I also would like to spend some time with people about my own age (47). I just have this fear that I'm going to be spending every meal with senior citizens... or worse, children. (I like kids, but this trip is my social time. I work with kids and would like a break.)

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It's not like the old Love Boat reruns where you sit at large round tables every night.

 

If it's you and your parents, you reserve a table for 4. If it's just the two of you, reserve for 2.

 

If you want to join a table, ask to be seated with people age X and they can try and accommodate you.

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First time cruiser here. So, do people generally sit at the same table with the same people? Is that how it works?

I'll be traveling with my parents (70s/80s) and I really want to spend time with them... but I also would like to spend some time with people about my own age (47). I just have this fear that I'm going to be spending every meal with senior citizens... or worse, children. (I like kids, but this trip is my social time. I work with kids and would like a break.)

Did you choose Traditional Dining (TD) or Anytime Dining (ATD)?

Traditional = same people, same table every night. If you're bookings are linked, you'll be at the same table with your parents.

Anytime = show up, wait for an empty table. They try to accommodate the size table that you want sit at (2, 4, 6, 10). Two tops are harder to get. Sharing a table will get you in quicker.

And as you can see from reading this thread...anything can happen with table mates. Life long friends or bitter enemies, you never know.;p

And don't forget there's breakfast and lunch, they are always ATD.

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...or possibly she thought you were being stubborn, didn't want to dine with you and she was successful in getting you to leave. Always two sides...;)

 

Actually, I don't think that there needs to be any time, not even once, to disrupt my dinner because I did not like the conversation or opinion. Head butting occurs when one or both parties decide to stop listening to the other. When that happens, cease the discussion and enjoy you entree. For goodness sake it is a conversation.

 

The problem with this lady was that once she found out we were Canadians it was like a switch was turned on. She became vocally abusive about our health care system and she just could not and would not let the topic go despite being asked several times. Others at the table would try to change the subject but she would not let it go. We were typically Canadian, we apologised ;) and got the hell out of there.

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The problem with this lady was that once she found out we were Canadians it was like a switch was turned on. She became vocally abusive about our health care system and she just could not and would not let the topic go despite being asked several times. Others at the table would try to change the subject but she would not let it go. We were typically Canadian, we apologised ;) and got the hell out of there.

 

I am with you completely. I'm not on the cruise to be miserable during dinner. Cut your losses and get out of there, don't give them a submissive audience. We had a completely obnoxious elderly couple from Long Island at our table last cruise. Vulgar, drunk, and abusive to the wait staff. We spent much of the week apologizing to the waiter when we saw her on other nights in the dining room.

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What a great thread! I always do anytime dining as I am an Extroverted Introvert, and my need to be with (or away from) people can vary from day to day (hour to hour, minute to minute, etc.).

 

I've had pretty good luck with dining companions when I travel solo, but there is one lady from my last cruise that stands out.

 

I was seated for dinner at a table for 6 which was me (40s), a group of four older ladies (travelling together) and a teen (18ish) eating solo (she was travelling with her Mom and Gran who were eating at the buffet that night).

 

3 of the ladies were great, the teen was quiet and respectful. Good conversation and stories, until our food arrived.

 

The 4th lady started in on the teen's food choices, not in an obviously rude way, but in a passive aggressive way. Her friends were mortified, and try to steer her onto other topics, but she was having none of it. The teen just got quieter. When the teen's second main arrived (she had never had pork belly and wanted to try it, not that that matters), the "lady" abandoned any pretext and started evangelizing about low fat, calories, et al.

 

Having grown up with the King and Queen of passive aggressiveness (especially when it came to food), I was not having any of it. Using all of my learned battle tactics, I let her have it. Every time a snide comment slipped out, I was on it. She was a tough bird too, took right up to dessert to silence her.

 

Both the teen and I had ordered two desserts, she had a fruit plate. When they were brought, she opened her mouth, looked at me, and thought the better of it.

 

I got a hug from the teen and the other three ladies when we left.

 

It was still a great dinner, I ate with the teen and her family later that cruise and had a blast.

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

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First time cruiser here. So, do people generally sit at the same table with the same people? Is that how it works?

I'll be traveling with my parents (70s/80s) and I really want to spend time with them... but I also would like to spend some time with people about my own age (47). I just have this fear that I'm going to be spending every meal with senior citizens... or worse, children. (I like kids, but this trip is my social time. I work with kids and would like a break.)

 

So glad you made your request ahead of time. But what do we do if we end up seated together? Shall I be the first to leave, or should you? I, unfortunately, have reached that undesirable "Senior" demographic and everyone knows that we can no longer have intelligent discussions, share insights or laugh and have fun. I wouldn't want to ruin your cruise.

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So glad you made your request ahead of time. But what do we do if we end up seated together? Shall I be the first to leave, or should you? I, unfortunately, have reached that undesirable "Senior" demographic and everyone knows that we can no longer have intelligent discussions, share insights or laugh and have fun. I wouldn't want to ruin your cruise.

 

Lighten up, Francis.

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So glad you made your request ahead of time. But what do we do if we end up seated together? Shall I be the first to leave, or should you? I, unfortunately, have reached that undesirable "Senior" demographic and everyone knows that we can no longer have intelligent discussions, share insights or laugh and have fun. I wouldn't want to ruin your cruise.

 

Ha! No offense meant. And I don't mind sharing a meal with ANYONE. But lots of meals all week? I personally would like to find some people with common interests and usually that means about the same age. I LOVE kids and I work with them in my career. But honestly, I really don't want to share a table with a bunch of kids all week. Just my personal preference. You may love it. I would dislike it, especially on my vacation.

I belong to a meet-up group in my city and the age specified in the blurb is 35 - 55 and it's a great group! There's a similar group called "Over 40" which is more broad and most members are in their 60s and 70s. Nothing wrong with that group... but the few times I went, they talked about their pensions and social security and all the fishing, volunteer work and traveling they do because of all their free time. Meanwhile, those of us in our 40s could not really relate. We had more in common with those of us closer to our age, discussing jobs, finding employment, struggling to pay bills, how social security might disappear, dating, raising kids, etc.

So, to each their own. I'm just saying it doesn't matter what age you are, sometimes it's nice to meet and socialize with people about your age. Or not! Your preference!

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What a great thread! I always do anytime dining as I am an Extroverted Introvert, and my need to be with (or away from) people can vary from day to day (hour to hour, minute to minute, etc.).

 

I've had pretty good luck with dining companions when I travel solo, but there is one lady from my last cruise that stands out.

 

I was seated for dinner at a table for 6 which was me (40s), a group of four older ladies (travelling together) and a teen (18ish) eating solo (she was travelling with her Mom and Gran who were eating at the buffet that night).

 

3 of the ladies were great, the teen was quiet and respectful. Good conversation and stories, until our food arrived.

 

The 4th lady started in on the teen's food choices, not in an obviously rude way, but in a passive aggressive way. Her friends were mortified, and try to steer her onto other topics, but she was having none of it. The teen just got quieter. When the teen's second main arrived (she had never had pork belly and wanted to try it, not that that matters), the "lady" abandoned any pretext and started evangelizing about low fat, calories, et al.

 

Having grown up with the King and Queen of passive aggressiveness (especially when it came to food), I was not having any of it. Using all of my learned battle tactics, I let her have it. Every time a snide comment slipped out, I was on it. She was a tough bird too, took right up to dessert to silence her.

 

Both the teen and I had ordered two desserts, she had a fruit plate. When they were brought, she opened her mouth, looked at me, and thought the better of it.

 

I got a hug from the teen and the other three ladies when we left.

 

It was still a great dinner, I ate with the teen and her family later that cruise and had a blast.

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

Good for you!

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