It always fascinates me to observe how much we three siblings have such different ideas and passions, despite having grown up together having the time of our lives. Then add in wives, husbands, children, and grandchildren, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. My Achilles' heel is punctuality. I wake up early so as not to betray the ritual of the Christmas morning run. I get back, shower, have a light breakfast, and at that point, I should be well on track because, to avoid upsetting the "young girl" of the house too much (our mother, 99 in March), for a few years now we have been going out for lunch.
Instead, that is the most dangerous moment: the fit check before heading out. Usually, I start thinking about the Christmas look quite a while beforehand. I confess that I even refrain from revealing the ones on my Christmas shortlist to the family, so as not to spoil the "Ohhh, you look so goooood!" effect, and the night before I pull everything out of the wardrobe so I can get dressed in a flash the next day.
Well, two out of three times, something goes wrong—say, a tiny smudge on the shirt cuff, never noticed before and now glaringly obvious. Or, quite simply, a brand-new pair of tights gets a ladder because of my ring shaped like a dolphin dancing in the waves. And if it isn't a matter of clothes, it’s all too easy to get lost in replying to friends' well-wishes and end up being late. At that point, I scramble (uselessly) to make up for lost time and, while driving to the restaurant, I pray that something similar has happened to the others.
Sometimes my prayers are answered; if not, then a countermove must be devised. First of all, send word so those already there can set their minds at rest and, if possible, ensure the most punctual members are served a nice glass of fizz while they wait to soothe their understandable annoyance. Upon arrival, (sincere!) apologies are a must, and immediately after, the room must be scanned to identify the most uncomfortable, cold, or high-traffic seat, and offer to take it to compensate for the foul.
.jpg "Marina Rinaldi By Georges Chakra")
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