Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Hospitality is a funny thing here in Mauritania. I've talked many times about how welcoming everyone is. "C'est comme chez vous," "it's your house." I can't see anyone without an invite, and if I just show up to say hi and leave, I've insulted the family by not staying for dinner. Big welcome, all the time.

Kind of.

But you know that guy-maybe he's a friend of yours, maybe she's you-who is always going to Crazy Aunt Mayble's (CAM) house. CAM lives just across town, and she insists that if he doesn't visit, he doesn't love her anymore. If he doesn't come every day, he clearly never wants to be there again. So he sees more of CAM than he does of his dog.

And if he misses a visit, then runs into CAM on the street, heaven help him. All smiles and hugs and where were you and hidden accusations. "I'm so sorry, I know, I spent time with someone other than you, but that doesn't mean that I didn't love the other six days last week when I did see you. No, I won't make that mistake again. I'll see you tonight! Love you, CAM!"

Followed by an awkward dinner. No conversation, he wonders why CAM invites him over to sit quietly in the corner while she watches tv. But if he weren't there to watch her watch tv, he would be showing a disdain for her from which she could never recover. So he tunes out and thinks about other things, and eventually, he can yawn, make an excuse, and leave.

Now imagine living in a town with 30 CAM's, and another 60 people jockeying for the position...