by Ginger Philbrick
A new reader of this column kindly took the time to share a pattern of seating at the meal table with which I was unfamiliar, but which intrigued me.
It is the seating of guests in pairs; two ladies, two gentlemen and then again, two ladies, etc. It is a method which is well-suited for either a round or rectangular table.
The benefit is seen as each person having enjoyment of the perspective of a male and of a female. My husband, whose attentiveness I now call into question, was shocked to learn there is often a difference between the perspectives.
I was compelled to try this formula for equal opportunity seating at a recent dinner party. Because there were nine of us, and the paired seating can’t be perfect geometrically unless the number of guests is an even one, I sacrificed by placing myself between two very attractive men. You may want to sketch this out on paper to understand the situation.
As my experiment was in full swing, I watched and listened as lively conversation never flagged and no one was left out of the give and take. Not surprisingly I found my control group of two gentlemen companions provided excellent conversation, too. The evening neared its end and my guests, who knew they were being used as test objects, declared they liked the arrangement and one or two even said they were going to try it.
In addition, a remarkable thing happened. I don’t know whether to attribute it to the new seating, the health of my guests, or just because we are all tiring of listening to scan reports, blood analyses and knee replacements while we are eating, but there was absolutely no talk of bodily conditions.
Now that is a reason for two-by-two seating if I ever heard one.
Ginger Philbrick is the owner of Because You Are Polite LLC. You are invited to email your manners questions to her and she will respond as time and space allow. You may contact her at youarepolite1@gmail.com.
