How I Met His Parents

The day began with a bit of a fright. I couldn't eat all my banana because it was over-ripe so I went out to toss it in for the turtles, who love over-ripe bananas. Elwood, Mark, and Sunny were milling around near the front and were immediately happy to receive banana chunks. I peered around a small tree to find another turtle and saw the frightening thing: Rehab was in one of the water pans upside down! I could tell she had been trying to stick her neck way back to flip over but it couldn't reach the ground because the water pan sat just a bit higher. I rushed in and righted her, saving her life. She looked petulantly at me then ambled off toward a banana chunk. Hmmph!

Sunny's eggs are showing small signs of distress - they're beginning to dent inwards just a smidge. If Rebel still isn't fertile then there's nothing I can do about it.

A month ago my daughter decided it was time for me to meet her boyfriend's parents. We finally all had a plan to meet for dinner at Chili's earlier this week. Somehow I arrived 15 minutes early, sat in my car until I couldn't take it any more (it was about 90 outside) and finally went in.

I told the hostess I was meeting 4 other people who were on their way, and asked if it would be possible to be seated early. She was happy to do so, but when I asked for a table instead of a booth she hesitated and began to scrunch her face to tell me why that wouldn't work. I told her I was meeting my daughter's boyfriend's parents for the first time and that I would feel awkward, you know, in that squished together sort of way, in a booth, and that's why I asked for a table. I then said I would just deal with it in a booth.

She said she thought she could find someone to cover a table in the "can't-sit-here-yet" area and showed me to a table in a great location. Within a couple of minutes a waiter appeared and I first thanked him for agreeing to cover the table. He winked, said she explained the situation to him and he would make sure everything went smoothly! I ordered appetizer chips and water (I'm cheap, I know it, and I'm proud!) and began to wait. And wait. Suddenly I realized I was wringing my hands! But wait, I wasn't nervous. Not me. Not I.

I was by a window and in a few minutes I saw a couple about my age walking toward the entrance. I knew it was them. I began to act all cool and casual, and heard the hostess say, "I think part of your group is already here", and took a deep breath. As soon as they walked into my area the dad said "You must be SallySue!" right behind them was the hostess, and behind the hostess was the waiter, and behind the waiter, peering around a post, was another young lady. They were ALL WATCHING the introductions!

The parents took seats across from me, and I swear I don't know how this happened, but after he was seated the dad somehow managed to knock over the chair on the end and it tumbled and scooted across the floor. He kind of looked at it funny, and bent over to get it upright. The mom didn't bat an eye. I wanted to snicker and make a joke. They acted as if it were no different than picking up a glass of water and taking a sip.

We began a conversation and in just a few minutes my daughter and her boyfriend arrived. The chips finally arrived, 2 baskets of them, and the waiter caught me eye and gave me a thumbs-up that no one else could see. Then he took their drink orders and as he was leaving he turned and gave me another thumbs-up.

We visited, not uncomfortably, but not easily either. The dad picked up a chip and took a bite. And somehow, I was watching this and I don't see how it happened, the remainder of the chip, which was gripped by his thumb and finger, flew out of his hand like a fly ball to center field, in a perfect arc, and landed in the middle of the basket of chips. He stuck his neck out a little and puzzled over the basket, cocked his head and squinted a bit, as if trying to decide if a spider was poisonous or not, then picked up a small piece of chip from the edge of the basket, pulled it out, looked at it, I mean turned it over and looked at it on both sides, then put it in his mouth.

What happened next was even funnier. No one said ANYTHING, no one gave a reaction, smiled, nothing. I was pretty sure the mom saw it, and she just sat there like someone was taking a sip of water. I wanted to roar and talk about it, you know, give a blow-by-blow instant replay, but had to stay there, quiet and stiff in my seat. It took great restraint.

The rest of the short evening was uneventful, except for the waiter catching my eye and giving me the secret thumbs-up every single time he came to the table. He gave the 2 checks to me and to the dad, and we each immediately handed them to our respective children who were paying for dinner. We did get excellent service.

I didn't see my daughter until the following day, and found out she was, indeed, a witness to the flying chip incident. She said it was all she could do not to bust out laughing. We talked about it and can't figure out why everyone just sat there like it was normal. It was hilarious, the way it happened. She thinks maybe stuff like that and the chair are common, so in that family it's just normal. Or maybe they were nervous. We don't know.

At least I've met his parents and I like them just fine. Next time will be easier and more comfortable.

A few shots from this evening:

I don't know what this spotless leaf beetle is, but it likes the dayflowers


It rained this afternoon and I spent some time looking for stretching water on the canna leaves. I didn't find any


More raindrops, this time on a spontaneous redbud


This is the same long-horned grasshopper as the other entries. I swear it is


And a close-up of the little fellow