I have acquaintances who I call frugal. They save on almost everything. On food, on clothes. No, they are quite well-to-do people, they don’t go from bread to water. And they always have money. So they can afford a sandwich with butter and red caviar.
I only go to see them if there is some occasion. But otherwise we just call each other back. A month ago they invited me to my husband’s birthday party. I went to visit and came home completely hungry.
Initially my plans were not to visit, because my acquaintances live on the other side of town. And my birthday fell on a weekday. But then I made up my mind, and I had to be free early at work on that day. On the appointed day in the morning I put a pre-purchased gift in my bag and went to work. Some acquaintances invited me to a birthday party at four o’clock. So at lunchtime I just drank coffee and ate two cookies. In short, I did not get too full before a feast, because I was invited to a party.
Well, in general, by the appointed hour, I arrived at my acquaintances. I handed him a gift, wished him happiness and health. I said to my friend I was hungry like a wolf, I did not eat on purpose, and prepared for a feast of the belly. Of course, I said it in jest. But my friend said, of course, everything is ready.
There were six of us, plus the hosts. Eight people. Upon entering the room, I saw no table and realized that my acquaintances had decided to organize some sort of buffet. There were no chairs and there was only a small sofa to sit on. Of course, it would have been nice to have a normal after-work meal, and not squeeze the eight of us on a small sofa. All right, a buffet is a buffet. A friend rolled out a small round table with food. And here I regretted that I had only had two cookies for lunch.
On the table (I even counted the slices, which I am not ashamed of at all) there were several small plates with slices. A total of exactly eight slices each. Eight slices of smoked sausage (I like it a lot), eight slices of meat, eight slices of cheese. Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, also eight slices each. All sliced very thinly, but beautifully. Oh yes, there were also two salads in miniature vases. The fruit, too, was strictly for eight people. And the whole “rich” table was rounded off with a bottle of vine. In short, eat and drink, dear guests.
I was sitting, chewing my own piece of sausage with cheese, and I was hungry! I wasn’t even thirsty, afraid to go nuts without a snack. My friend says, “I’ll get you something hot. I thought, well, now I’ll at least have something hot to eat. But it was not there! Hostess brought out the hot meal. You could not even count. I put on the plate small fried potatoes and baked chicken shanks. Strictly one each! It was a laugh and a sin. But then the cake was regular size, not strictly cut into eight pieces. In general we had a lot of fun. I went home in an hour and a half, terribly hungry.
On the way home, I stopped at the store and bought some groceries. And at home I had a proper meal. That’s how my acquaintances saved on guests. Why would you invite people to a birthday party if you can’t or don’t want to set the table properly?
