The Zipp family has been absolutely wonderful to me over the past couple months. Being with them each day for hours and hours has made Kurt and I honorary members of the family. Along with being family members, we have developed routines and taken in Italian habits. The most noticeable time that I see this happen is during our dinner time each night. It is almost a joke to Kurt and I that we know exactly what is gonna happen right before it will happen. Let me take you through one typical night at the Zipp residence.
Michael tells us he will pick us up at 8 outside our house. So he is there at 8:15 while we are waiting outside in the cold pissing and moaning about how this is the last time we are going to wait. Once we get in the car we forget what we are mad about and are just happy to be eating soon. Three minutes later we are at the house and walking through the door. We take our shoes and coats off and head to the kitchen. Orlando is usually to the right lost on facebook. To make him mad I usually stand right behind him and ask if each girl on there is his girlfriend(only once I was right, but that’s worthy of its own post). Nahima runs up to Kurt and I and says “GIOCI CARTA?” which means “you play cards?”. She sets it up as her mom yells at her not to play on the kitchen table, but we do anyway. We go through the motions of playing this card game similar if not the exact same as UNO. Michael is usually lost in that nights soccer game with a tall German beer. The fun really starts when Silvia is ready to serve the food.
“Vi e tavola” or “go to the table” is the first warning that the children get before the Italian fury is unleashed. Luckily for Nahima she enjoys eating like I do so she doesn’t need to be told again. The teenager on the other hand hates food and listening to his parents. To reduce the amount of yelling involved I usually physically pick him up from and carry him to his seat. If there were shackles I would use them. Depending on the day of the week we will either talk or not talk. How much the kids annoy their parents will determine if there will be a smile on their face as we eat or not. Now when we eat I have learned the delicate art of eating spaghetti without causing a mess or slurping up long dangly straws. I watched as others did it and slowly caught on, but now I believe I am pretty much a professional at it. When one plate of pasta is done Silvia jumps up and steals your plate before you have time enough to lick your fork clean. Forget about portions, you have simply have to take it. Now once I have finished all my food there is usually some residue on the plate. I swear that if a single drop of olive oil is left on the plate, world war 3 will happen. The end of the meal is taking bread and sponging up every little bit until the plate looks like it went through a power dish washer. Mean while Orlando is trying to get out of eating, Nahima is kicking Kurt, Silvia is yelling at the kids to stop, and Michael is watching his game. I get a front row seat to the chaos at the Zipp’s house.
Moral of the story, If you have nothing nice to say, then say it in code.
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