A Night Out On the Town

--with children

We join my parents and their Friday night dinner friends at the Eagles of Dayton (here is where I refrain from long reminiscings about the town and the place). We order our food from a very pleasant waitress. We observe my mom talking to nearly every table there. There is bingo in the background.

Time goes by.

Aidan is bored and is telling Papa wild stories much like I remember Papa telling me (insert story, any story, as long as it starts with “back in ’42”).

Again, time goes by.

Nadia is wiggly but entertained. She raises her hand. No one pays attention.
A waitress brings us “salad”. You can knock the way it looks but it was really good.

You guessed it, time goes by.

Nadia raises her hand and the waitress asks her if she needs anything.
Nadia innocently informs her, “I don’t have any food”
The table and surrounding tables erupt in laughter.
My mom proudly tells the adjacent table, “that’s my granddaughter!”.

I am smiling and looking at my daughter seated next to my mother and I am so grateful they have a special bond. I am also grateful my mom publicly claimed her at that moment for she was knuckle deep in her nose. I gave her the ‘look’ and she quickly pulls it out.
I say to my mom, ”yeah, the one picking her nose and eating it is your granddaughter”.
Nadia quickly defends, “I didn’t eat it yet”.

Give the poor child some food so she doesn't have to resort to her own devices.