This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
I sat down to write my post this week and all I could think of was Brexit because it is dominating everyone’s conversation and is dividing friendships. At least half of my newspaper is full of articles on what, when, how, will Brexit be or happen. Even TV and radio non-drama programmes cannot talk about anything else. It is dividing the nation, and now dividing friendships and families. It is a very slow and painful torture and I just want it to be over. Brexit is like having dental treatment without any local anaesthetic – painful, costly and seemingly never-ending.
I know my wish for it all to be over is rather naive however I find that Brexit has brought out the worst characteristics in so many people. They feel so strongly that they do not tolerate any other opinions. They end up shouting, assuming that the louder they speak the more we will all accept their opinions.
I was recently at a dinner party where a married couple of many decades were on opposing sides of the Brexit argument. They ended up going home at different times. The husband left very early in their car so his wife had to get a taxi! We all carried on as if nothing had happened – so British.
However when husband and I were recently planning a dinner party we had to think carefully about our guests’ differing Brexit opinions before deciding on the final list. We didn’t want any fall outs during our carefully planned evening. One or two of my friends are a little antagonistic; I think they love to get everyone having overheated discussions!
This made us think of who we would really enjoy to have to dinner in a fantasy world. Let’s face it reality right now is a minefield, so we might as well enter the realms of make believe. Husband said we could each choose a current actor, a politician, a sportsman and someone from history.
Husband’s choices:
- Pierce Brosnan – I am happy with that as he is so charming and easy on the eye for us ladies. But don’t let’s suggest a post dinner sing-a-long!
- Hilary Benn – teetotaller and vegetarian so I need to keep that in mind being the cook. He is Chair of the influential Labour group, Exiting the European Union Select Committee so it will be hard not to mention Brexit. He doesn’t look like a rebel rouser so I don’t think he will start a war before dessert.
- Sugar Ray Leonard (Husband is a boxing fan) often considered one of the greatest boxers of all times so no-one is going to pick a fight with him!
- Nostradamus (Husband made a film about him) maybe this choice is in order to avoid all Brexit discussion Nostradamus could just foresee the final outcome and we can then all get on with dinner.
My choices:
- Tcheky Karyo (he played Nostradamus in Hubby’s film) and quite frankly he is the only TV detective (Baptiste) that I like. Aside from that he just looks like such good company and that French accent will smooth out any ruffled feathers.
- Barack Obama because…….well, apart from the obvious reason that I chose him, he has been, seen, done it all and got the T-shirt. Plus we can have a good time trashing Trump.
- Roger Federer: he’s Swiss so won’t take sides. Also he rarely loses so I am on his team. Also my tennis coach says I need some serious help with my serve. Maybe a post-dinner session in the garden!
- Audrey Hepburn because I just think she was so beautiful, serene and charming. We could all do with some those qualities right now.
It’s a bit man heavy so I am going to invite my best girlfriends as who wouldn’t want to share this dinner party guest list? Plus it won’t go dividing friendships and for a brief few hours Brexit will be forgotten.
I know this post is rather lighthearted but, in this current climate and until Brexit is over, I think my dinner parties are going to be fantasies rather than realities. It makes for better friendships. Roll on the end so that we can all get on with life.
More posts from Poppy Patmore here