Yvette marveled when I told her that I more than survived a vacation in one house with 7 adults and one eight year old child. “I couldn't do it,” she said. “I don't need to be with someone who can't talk before they've had their coffee, or an incessant talker, please, I can go on and on.”
I explained to her that when you're with a group of civil, mature people, nice things happen.
- Men put toilet seats down. (One even vacuumed after deciding that the housekeeper didn't get the job done.)
- There was a team effort in the kitchen assembling meals and one woman cleaned up to perfection each time willingly.
- Housemates didn't come running into the house waving flimsy supermarket receipts for a loaf of bread or a stick of butter. We all contributed on our own and since no one's eyes were rolling; I assume it worked out for everyone's vacation budget.
- The child's mother would send him back to the bathroom to wash his hands; this was refreshing and important since he was digging into bags of cookies and chips we were all sharing. She also didn't let him dominate the television; we were able to watch Meet the Press guilt-free.
- There were three couples and thin walls but no one lost sleep when others weren't sleeping. That's civility for you.
And that's how it was in one house on Martha's Vineyard for one week. I think Yvette could've done it.
1 comment:
It was a pleasure to share the house with you. It was quite a congenial experience.
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