Dinner

I was struggling to see what direction I could take the subject of dinner in. My dinner times are made up of stuffing food quickly into my face while saying: "Ned/Jarvis, throwing spaghetti at the windows is not a good way to show appreciation to the chef". My helpful advice is giggled at and I am forced into confiscating bowls until the game of spaghetti lasso has quelled.

This repetitive dinner time one-way conversation is not everyone's dinner time experience, so tonight I texted ten of my friends asking them the simple question, "What did you have for dinner?" Some of my friends I hadn't seen or spoken to in quite a while (over a year in some cases) and they may have been perplexed by the question. The text was sent an hour ago and so far six have responded. This is how:

Person One:

Them: Tomato soup. Watching the Norwich game? Me and Molly are there.

Me: I'm watching Question of Sport at the moment, but I might flick over later. I'm at Leicester vs Macclesfield on Wednesday.

Person Two:

Them: Diced donkey and doughnuts. Not really, curry I believe, but we haven't had it yet.

Person Three:

Them: A carvery roast........ [that is an excessive amount of dottage; you should really stick to three dots] Why?

Me: Tasty. Just a little survey I am doing for the purpose of writing a blog entry. I'm back on Thursday if you still have the balls [some footballs that he has offered to donate to my football team].

Them: Cool, yes mate I do still have the balls. Gimme a shout when ya free.

Person Four:

Them: Hmmm, I'm guessing you didn't mean to send that to me, but if you're interested I had pizza :)

Them [again]: Ah no, I get it, things beginning with d :) how's things anyway.

Me: Tres good Signor John. We should have a beer soon. I'm away at the moment, but return on Thursday.

Them: Sounds like a plan, it's been a year since our last one. Maybe you guys could come round one night for curry.

Me: Give us a date when you're up for it and we'll see if we can get a sitter.

Them: Ok cool, will have a chat with the missus and get back to you :)

Person Five:

Them: Erm... [much more appropriate dottage] Spaghetti and meatballs. You?

Me: Pasta carbonara

Them: Am I missing something?

Me: No

Them: That's alright then.

Person Six:

Them: Why do you want 2 know buddy? Pizza! What did you have?

Me: Pasta carbonara. I'm just taking an interest in your life.

Them: Thx bro. I just sat on da loo and past da pizza if you want 2 know more about my life! Hope you having a good time.

Me: My real reason is for a blog entry. I'm going to include your text if that is okay but I'll keep you anonymous.

Them: Weird!

A range of meals were had and pizza was the only replica. Meals came from a range of cultures: three Italian, one Indian, one British and one Peruvian (apparently that's where tomato soup originated). What was more interesting though was the range of ways in which people responded. Two guessed at my intentions and three questioned my intentions. Only one person could just take the question at face value and leave it at that and that should be commended. Do we have to have a reason to ask each other fairly meaningless questions? I also enjoyed the opportunity people took to give me extra information such as what they were doing that evening although I didn't really need to know about someone's toileting. The invitation to dinner was also a rather pleasant by-product of the initial text. This sharing of information with each other is, in my opinion, a beautiful and wonderful thing. Details, seemingly irrelevant, help me to feel slightly closer to people and this moment on digital text exchange has been a mildly enriching experience.