I always try to be a good guest when I’m at someone’s home. I’ll always bring something to add to the meal like wine or dessert, help clean up and not make a mess nor a fuss.
Last night, my friend, Lisa, invited me over to dinner and before I arrived, shared the menu with me. Since I’ve been under the weather all week (nothing contagious), my diet has consisted of toasted bagels, pasta, plain chicken, orange juice, tea, ginger ale and the like.
When someone is making me a meal, the last thing I want to do is be difficult. If there’s something I don’t like, I’ll usually put it to the side like olives. I hate olives, but otherwise, I’ll eat what’s put in front of me. After all, they’ve taken the time to make me dinner, which I appreciate and is a very nice gesture.
Lisa told me that she was serving pasta, chicken and broccoli with olive oil. All things that I could eat without issue. It would be easy enough to pass on the broccoli. I don’t know anyone who’d want to eat that if they’re not feeling well. The only issue was the olive oil and not because I don’t like olives. :) I use olive oil all the time. It was more that I wasn’t sure I’d have the appetite for it, since my pasta dishes this week have consisted of rigatoni with butter.
Lisa and I have been friends for almost 20 years, so I knew I could be honest with her. Plus, thinking through what that would take to switch didn’t seem like any extra work. I would take my portion of the pasta out and put the butter on myself. No big whoop.
Normally I wouldn’t say anything because I wouldn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I knew Lisa would be mad if I hadn’t told her, since it wasn’t that big of a substitute. So I told her and once again, said no to myself for worrying about putting someone out and yes to taking care of myself.
Lisa completely understood and didn’t think twice about it. We wound up having a great meal with her kids, a wonderful conversation, as always and I was reminded that being nice is not just about the other person, but it applies to you, too.
What would you have done in this situation? Spoken up or sucked it up? Tell me below and if you like what you’ve read, please share it and subscribe below. Thanks!