Text 2 - Eating out

Eating Out

Adventures into rehearsed (1) but unknown living,

Table napkin tucked conscientiously (2) under chin.

Choice of cutlery supervised, menu explained.

So much good behaviour was indigestible (3);

Mother took me outside to recover. Later,

Father introduced London cuisine (4);

How to handle moules marinière (5), not

To eat all the petit fours (6) or pocket them for later.

When the proper time came, he initiated (7) me

Into the ritual (8) consumption of lobster.

My last outing (9) with him: teacakes in (10)

A Petworth teashop. He leaned heavy on my arm,

But did the ordering. Mother died older, later (11);

I never accustomed myself to this autocrat’s

Humble I’ll…