My husband, three kids and I live across the country from our relatives. A few months ago, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law visited my home. My mother-in-law is a good sort, but the sister-in-law, "Heather," is a completely different story. She complained constantly, treated my teenage son like her personal slave and generally made life miserable for everyone. She was forever breaking rules of common decency and etiquette...which makes this story all the more amusing.
One day, we all went out-of-town to visit a museum, and had lunch at a rather nice Japanese restaurant. As I used to work at a Japanese restaurant years ago, I was very familiar with the food and helped my children and mother-in-law to order. The food arrived, we all began to chow down, and I actually thought that for once everyone---including Heather---was happy and having a good time. Wrong. After a few minutes, both my husband and I began to notice that Heather is glaring at us. I was taken aback; my kids were behaving and thus far, it had been an enjoyable meal. Whatever was the matter with her now? Not being able to figure out on my own what the problem was, I asked Heather if there was anything wrong. She glared at me again for a few minutes, slammed her fork down on the table and announced in a very loud voice, "You are
SO INCREDIBLY RUDE!" and indicated myself, my husband and my teenage son. Why were we rude, you ask? Because we were eating with chopsticks. No, I am not making that up. According to Heather, everyone at the table should eat with the same utensils, or it is "rude." And as she does not know how to use chopsticks, that meant everyone at the table should use a fork, as she was doing. I was dumbfounded. I tried to laugh it off, explaining my previous employ at a Japanese restaurant and how I pretty much had to learn to use chopsticks at that time or risk professional ridicule. Heather's response? "If you worked in a Japanese place, then you of all people should know better." I hope you think of me, the next time you have sushi.
Relatives0807-07 Asharah's comment: Anyone who tried to interrupt me at my favorite Japanese restaurant to tell me I'm rude for eating with chopsticks would get the glare of death for interrupting my meal. And maybe throw in a comment about how they are being insensitive to the culture of the people running the restaurant for not learning to use chopsticks.
