Not the Average Stoffel Family Dinner

Megan Stoffel

English 101, Section 53

September 11, 2007

Paper 1, Final Draft

Not the Average Stoffel Family Dinner

Closing my eyes at the dinner table, I could envision the perfect meal with my mom, dad, boyfriend, and his parents. Smelling the sizzling charcoaled steaks, hearing the flicker of the candles in the background, and feeling the comfort of being surrounded by loved ones made this feel like the type of dinner one would see on a TV sitcom. Then I opened my eyes to see my usually well-polished dad dressed in a dirty, ripped t-shirt, old cut-off jeans, and work boots. So much for the “model-family” dinner that I had envisioned with shut eyes.

It all started four years ago when I started dating a boy named Brandon Stokes. He is a few years older that me, so, at the beginning of our relationship, I felt it necessary to work extra hard to impress him and his family. I can remember asking my parents to invite the Stokes family over to our house for dinner. Not much convincing was needed, as my parents were interested in getting to know my boyfriend’s family. We decided on a good night and arranged the evening’s menu.

I knew that nothing could go wrong. It would not only be the perfect meal, but also the perfect way to impress Brandon and his family. My hard-working father grilled steaks while my mom and I set the table. Before long, the Stokes’ had arrived. Because my dad had been working in our rather large yard all day making sure that the landscape was well manicured, he was dressed in smelly, damp old clothes. I just figured that he

would shower and change before we sat down at the table. Boy was I wrong.

At dinner, there was pleasant conversation flowing and delicious food, but there was just one thing that was causing my nervous tension; my father’s appalling