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Tuesday, September 25, 2008

“I still think having the guests serve themselves from a buffet would be better. Everyone would still sit at the same table,” Bette made her last attempt. “It will be neater and better organized.

“Baby, family dinners are not supposed to be neat and organized.  They are supposed to be messy and chaotic.  Passing the serving bowls around is fun.”

“Not if you’re the last to get the bowl and none is left.”

“Poor baby. Did that happen?  Were you left starving at the Porter dinner table,” Tina pouted for Bette.

“I was the youngest with the shortest reach,” Bette pouted back.

“Baby, I’ll make sure you get the bowls first.”

“And a drumstick?”

“Yes, baby, a drumstick.”

Tuesday, November 22, 1988

Irwin Fairbanks’ business had had a very successful year.  The new machinery he had brought into the plant had increased production, but he was most proud of the employee incentive plan he had introduced.  The combination of these initiatives and more aggressive marketing had trebled profits.  He rewarded his family with a long-promised trip to New York.

The Fairbanks family of four had flown to New York in Business Class on an economical redeye flight. Sharon Fairbanks had never been to the City and Irwin had only made trips there on business.  They were both shocked to realize, as soon as they stepped out of the airport terminal, that New York was in the middle of a cold wave and that the warm-by-California-standards clothing that had brought would not suffice if they ever intended to leave their hotel rooms.

The parents murmured to each other and reached agreement.  As soon as they had checked into their hotel rooms, Irwin and Howie trotted off to Brooks Brothers to purchase appropriate winter gear.  After some internal debate, Sharon opted for efficiency and took Dana to Bloomingdales, rather than wandering in and out of the Madison Avenue boutiques.