When people are friends, a bit like an old married couple whove been through thick and thin, theres bound to be the occasional disagreement sooner or later. The more people there are, the more little rows and annoyances crop up.
One time, a mate of mine told me about how they celebrated New Years Eve with their friends. Usually, three families would get together and celebrate at one of their homes, but last year, one family backed out and decided instead to spend it at her parents place.
So, the remaining two families decided theyd split their time between each others houses. As usual, everyone chipped in for the food and bought drinks, just as they always did.
On the night, we all met up and brought the kids along. We sat around the table, tucking into dinner and chatting away until midnight. After the fireworks, I noticed the hosts quietly starting to clear the plates and stack leftovers into the fridge. At first, I wasnt sure what was going onuntil they brought out the hoover. That was the clear sign: time to call it a night. Honestly, I thought it was a bit odd. Surely, thats not the polite English way to wrap things up, is it?
What struck me was that, when we headed round to the other familys house later, nobody was rushing us out. In fact, we ended up staying until the small hours, eating, drinking, and laughing.
Perhaps my friend was only trying to help tidy up, but some people have a funny way of showing hospitality. I suppose the lesson for me is that manners matter, and it doesnt hurt to be a gracious hosteven when its late and youre keen to get to bed.
