In my early stay in the UK as a grad student, me and another foreign grad student doing the same course, got invited to stay overnight at the home of one of the faculty members of the university so they can bring us to visit famous tourist places like castles, etc.
We bought wine and a huge Easter egg chocolate as gifts to bring to our hosts. My coursemate bought the wine, which he knew nothing about because he just drinks Remy Martin. (This Remy Martin will figure in another story, that of the bartender story - just a preview.)
For my part, I also did not know that what I bought was an Easter egg. I was just sure it was chocolate shaped like an egg. Easter was way far in terms of months to come.
In other words, we probably brought strange or not too good gifts as we did not know any better except that we needed to bring something for our host and hostess.
We got picked up by the guy who was the faculty member from where we were studying. We arrived at the house at around 7pm. When we arrived, the host prepared gin and tonic for us and we chatted at their lounge while his wife attended to dinner preparations.
We did not know we were not the only guests. People started coming in from the time we arrived to about 8 or 830. There were like a dozen people who were there. They were approximately our age. The host and his wife were much older than us.
Will, short for William, was, I think, the wife's nephew. He is a fun and cheerful person, always smiling. And he has blond hair and blue eyes like our hostess.
The host asked Will to take over serving the drinks to arriving guests. And he did.
Eventually, dinner was served. We were all seated at a very long table. This is a memory that, until now, is still very clear in my head. It was my first sit-down dinner in the UK that had a lot of guests. I was so amazed with the number of people invited.
When dinner was served, a girl, not our hostess, asked if we wanted whatever or whatever. I forgot if it was fish or chicken, or chicken or beef.
I know I chose red meat because when Will came over, he was serving the wines, and asked me, "You want red or white?"
I said, "I suppose I should take the red since I will be having the red meat."
He said, "Not necessarily."
And he asked, "What do you like to drink, Vera?" And he smiled.
"I prefer white," I said and also smiled at him.
"Then white it is!" he comically responded.
"And I will get you a better white to go with your steak, beautiful lady," he teased.
And he got me a Chardonnay.
After all preferences have been taken, the food was served. That was the first time I had dinner for like two to three hours. People kept talking. And drinking.
Will was seated beside me and he was both funny and engaging. The coursemate I was with was seated at the other end. I don't know who the others were but I remember I kept looking at the length of the table and the people seated and being amazed at how many there were and the very long time it took to have dinner.
Will would also stand occasionally to ensure everyone had their glasses served with wine.
While talking during dinner, everything was friendly, fun, and above board. And then dessert was served and we had a different wine with it. It went well with the dessert which I could not remember but I remember liking a different wine that went well with the dessert.
So, I think I had at least 3 or 4 glasses of Chardonnay and the dessert wine aside from the gin tonic.
I cannot remember how the party broke up but everyone started to go home except for Will who said he was staying the night in a spare bedroom.
Before everyone had left, my coursemate and I decided to retire to our rooms.
