Dinner at Mom's

Here's a funny story: I've noticed over the last couple of years that my step-father has this peculiar behavior. When you eat dinner at his house, there is an allotment of time that he gives you in order to finish your meal. Once that time limit has expired, it's like fending off a shark to keep him from taking your plate away!! This is no joke! He is usually the first one finished eating and then he stands near the table, waiting for everyone to finish up. The minute you are done, he snatches your plate away. God help you if you wanted seconds! I think everyone in my family is now trained to eat fast at his house, except for me. I WILL NOT BE RUSHED! Mind you, I am a slow eater to begin with......not on pupose, that's just how I am. It drives Jose crazy! I am always the last one eating, except on rare ocassions when there is actually someone slower than me (it has happened!). Most everyone was done eating last night when I got up for seconds. Mark (my stepdad) immediately went to grab my plate from me, but I side-stepped him and went in for seconds (much to his dismay, I'm sure!). As I'm sitting there eating, my plate still full of food, he asks me if I'm done eating! I ignored him and kept chowing down. He finally couldn't stand it any longer and leaned into Jose and whispered something. I knew it was about me eating slowly. He said something to the effect that it was going to be tomorrow morning before I was finished eating. Ha ha! Funny! The man LITERALLY can't do ANYTHING else until all the plates are cleaned and put away. But he has no problem holding up a card game or any other activity to go outside and smoke a cigar. He sat at the dinner table, practically staring me down, while I ate my second plate, clearly agitated that I was taking so long. It was really rather funny, except that it totally pissed me off and I couldn't even finish my meal without feeling guilty for taking so long. The man is obsessed! Possessed! It must be a military thing or something. I've noticed this behavior over time and I joke about it to Jose every time we go over there for dinner, but this time it was extremely annoying. I'm going to say something to my mother about it. I don't even want to eat dinner over there anymore. I was even debating if I want to go on the cruise with them anymore. Because it means a week with him! And I'll have indigestion the whole time!! Fun times with my family!