When people are good friends, much like a long-married couple, sooner or later disagreements are bound to crop up. The more people involved, the more opportunities there are for rows and dissatisfaction to arise.
I remember a mate once told me about how their group celebrated New Years Eve. It had become a bit of a tradition for three families to ring in the New Year together, always gathering at one of their houses. But last year, one family decided theyd rather spend the night at her parents, so they bowed out.
So, the remaining two families agreed to split the eveningfirst half at one house, then over to the other. Normally, they pooled their money, buying food and drink together and sharing all the expenses.
On New Years Eve, they gathered, children in tow, and sat down to enjoy the evening. Up until midnight, everyone was chatting and getting along. But then, just after the bells had rung, the host family suddenly started clearing away the plates and packing up the leftovers into the fridge. At first, no one really twigged what was happening. But when the hosts wheeled out the hoover and began cleaning up, it became obviousthey were giving a polite hint that it was time to make a move. It didnt feel terribly gracious, if Im honest.
Strangely enough, when they later went to the other familys house, no one seemed in a hurry to end the night. The atmosphere was relaxed; they stayed up talking, eating, and drinking until dawn.
Perhaps the vacuum cleaner did wonders for my friends home, but I’d say hes simply well brought up and knows when to call it a night. I suppose what I learnt from this was the importance of subtlety and good mannerssometimes its not just about keeping house, but about not putting friendship on the line for the sake of a tidy living room.
