celebrated or mourned the day's results in the market. "'We don't say grace before we eat every night,'
my mother began, 'but we should. It's your father's
fault, not mine. Anyway, don't look stupid about it
and don't let them know we don't. It's no one's
business. Bow your head and make sure you
pronounce your amen loud and clear, understand?' she
asked me.
"'Yes, Mother,' I said eying the door and trying
not to look guilty of anything.
"'Don't stare at her mother in the wheelchair.' "'I
wouldn't do that, Mother.'
"'We don't adhere to proper dinner etiquette
either, not that I permit you to be sloppy or impolite at
the table. It's just that your father never cared for
formal dining. I have everything set up in the dining
room,' she told me. 'Now get up and follow me.' "I did and I was surprised at the lengths she had
gone to in order to give me instructions. She had a
book of dining etiquette out and open. She had taken
out every piece of silverware we owned, and our
finest china with her nicest linen dinner napkins "'Sit,' she ordered, pointing at my place. Then
she picked up the book and held it like a Bible in her
open palms She even sounded like some kind of
Sunday school teacher.
"'You should know that the silverware is placed
in the order of its use, with the implements to be used
first farthest from the plate. The salad fork is placed
next to the left of the plate, then the meat fork, which
they might not have out, being this is Friday night,
and then the fish fork which will be used first. Just to
the right of the plate is the salad knife, next is the