I love small dinner parties with good friends. There are a few drawbacks though – You sometimes get seated next to folks you wouldn’t normally choose and you’re stuck for hours.
After cocktails and dinner while still sitting around the table, many different conversations break out. Some are among neighbors seated across the table. Some talk is from one end of the table to the other. Ever notice how loud it becomes when everyone tries to talk over each other?
Our group has experimented with potential solutions to both of the aforementioned problems. After many dinners and bottles of wine, we’re now practicing the following arrangements and manners.
Seating arrangements for dinner require all the ladies to sit at one end of the table and gents at the other. Everyone can talk until dinner is over.
Normally all conversations at that point are still around 60 decibels.
After dinner, we trade places with our spouse. Problem with being stuck with the loud mouth all night is most likely solved – unless you’re really unlucky or you are the loud mouth.
Before the decibel level shoots up to unbearable levels, the hostess announces that the only person who can talk is the one holding the “talking stick.”
She then passes a spoon, the “talking stick,” to the person on her left. That person can talk about any topic for three minutes, and then answer questions from the person that passed the spoon for two minutes.
This spoon-passing goes on for as long as it takes for everyone to say as much as he or she wishes within the time limit. Everyone is required to participate. No one can leave the table until at least one round is completed.
For some reason everyone holds the talking spoon like it’s a microphone, prompting comments from around the table.
“I can’t hear you, hold the stick closer to your mouth.”
“You’re holding the microphone too close to your head, there’s feedback.”
“What planet are you from?”
Usually we wind up with at least two rounds even with some text cheaters working under the table. You can always pick out the cheaters –They have their head down, looking like they’re praying. Sometimes they are.
