A Dinner Prior to Christmas Day

Living in times when nuclear families
prefer to eat out
order festival dinners
be it onam, pongal or diwali...

Pleasant surprise awaited us
when a senior level boss invited team
for a dinner
before Christmas eve...

Crystal clear was intent of host
of “no compromise"
on the personal touch
therefore, living room of residence
instead of a mere hotel
served as our dinner venue

Commencing with the traditional
wine and cake
the better half of host
had shaped each dish
with love and her own hands

Short eats before main course
and mouth watering main-course
veg  & non veg  to suit palates,
meeting individual needs of guests over twenty
with a fitting finale of homemade desserts!

Each guest attended to by host
food served by his sprightly sons
ever smiling, asking "want more"
and refilling plates with gusto

When the host expressed regret
for inconveniences of seating
I wondered "what inconvenience?"
a waiter, an ambiance or foreign chef
can never replace
personalized love & care
or home cooked food

For there's no better food
than home cooked food and
there's no better attention
than personalized attention!

NB: This poem is based on an actual incident/ invitation in the year 2014.