Ted's daughter Dee is down here for a night. She came down to pick up someone from the airport, spending the night at a hotel and heading back to Idaho. I actually had the night off, because someone awesome offered to work for me, so I was able to spend time with her. In the couple of hours Ted, Dee and I had, we went to a low-key dinner at Village Inn. I couldn't talk the manager into pretending it was Wednesday, so there was no free pie.
When we were shown to our table, it took about three seconds to realize the six people who were having dinner at the table two away from us were having quite the conversation. In fact, we were quick to realize that this was an intervention, family counselling session, family discussion on the current dynamics of the melded family. The players are as follows; Dad, two daughters, new stepmom, stepmom's ex-daughter-in-law and quiet number six player who really didn't have much to say.
Because I love to use bullets, this is what we learned about this very private situation in this very public setting:
When we were shown to our table, it took about three seconds to realize the six people who were having dinner at the table two away from us were having quite the conversation. In fact, we were quick to realize that this was an intervention, family counselling session, family discussion on the current dynamics of the melded family. The players are as follows; Dad, two daughters, new stepmom, stepmom's ex-daughter-in-law and quiet number six player who really didn't have much to say.
Because I love to use bullets, this is what we learned about this very private situation in this very public setting:
- Wife to Dad and Mom to the two daughters has passed away
- Dad has met and married new stepmom
- Daughters, particularly 36 year old daughter, is not adjusting to new mommy
- 36-year-old daughter has no life and seems to be causing some marital strife
- Ex-daughter-in-law suggests that 36-year-old daughter get her own life, so that it won't affect her mentally as it seems to be doing now
- Ex-daughter-in-law divorced stepmom's son because they didn't communicate
- Ex-daughter-in-law empathizes about the grief the daughter's are feeling, because her dad died and she understands what it is to lose someone
- Everyone needs counselling - not what I had to say about it, though I agree, what ex-daughter-in-law said
- Quiet person didn't do much except nod
This really made for a pretty uncomfortable dinner. I felt like I was intruding on something that I shouldn't be. Though Dee and I did jokingly agree that we were going to stage a re-enactment at some time in the future - we'll have to figure out who to add as players, later. Beside the point - this was not a quiet conversation. I understand a neutral location, but this was a very public location, too. We heard every bit of their conversation. I kind of felt like I was part of this very public counselling session.
Maybe I should have suggested they head to the Miramar. That restaurant is awesome, because you pretty much have your own little room and can't hear anything going on in the next room.
Comments
Post a Comment