Social misfire

We invited friends for dinner last night, and with winter's full-blown early arrival, I asked Le Duc to start a fire in the small Swedish woodstove tucked into the corner of our living room.

He left it to the last minute, and the damn thing wouldn't draw. So he opened the stove door, inviting plumes of dense smoke to roll into the room.
With guests arriving any second, the entire first floor filled with thick woodsmoke that would sting the eyes and seize the lungs of anyone crazy enough to enter.

I was ah, incensed. "Put it OUT!" I shrieked. "NO", he boomed back, and we exchanged a lengthy, highly uncivil set of remarks, each of us graphically asserting the extreme stupidity of the other.
Of course our friends were huddled at the door, which I forgot was opened in my frantic efforts to clear the smoke... listening to every word.

Have you ever revealed your less than charming side, when instead you want to be hospitable and welcoming?

The only thing to do was pour everyone a large drink and flap towels around till the air cleared, in more ways than one.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Ah, the moments we wish we could forget! My husband and I had a similar moment (but without the insults; he was too busy getting rid of the smoke and I was too busy greeting guests). The guests were all my co-workers and their spouses from my new job; we all had to huddle in one room with the door closed because the rest of the house was sooooo cold from the windows being open (this was December in Minnesota). I ran out of wine, and the cat threw up on the dining room table where the snacks were laid out. Ouch.
Anonymous said…
I do believe I have one or two instances to compare with yours... The latest was me complaining that he was an xxx for inviting someone I don't like over, not knowing they were standing behind him.
I hope they were good friends of yours so you could all laugh about it.

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