Sociology Case

I recently went on Spring Break with my family and my boyfriend to New York. I am known for showing excellent table manners and correcting others on how they eat. My family tends to tease me and never want to sit next to me because my pet peeve is people not using their best table manners when their out to eat. It was a Saturday night, right after a long day of shopping in Times Square and we all decided to go somewhere nice since it was our first day there.

The limo driver took us a nice Japanese restaurant called Benihana's. When we were seated and were served our appetizers I stood up and reached over about five people and grabbed the spring rolls that were on the table. I tried to pace myself in the order that I was I going to break my norm(s). Our food arrived and I continuously started beating my fork against the plate to cause a scene amongst my family members. I can tell by the look on their faces that they were shocked and wondering why I was causing such a ruckus. When the guy finished cooking our food, and I proceeded to eat I picked the leftover food out of my teeth with a fork and spit it on my plate, as if it were disgusting. I continuously slurped my drink and made bubbles in it with straw. I was hitting the knife against my glass as I were making a toast or had an announcement to make.

My mother and boyfriend were stunned and asked me if I was tired or had been using drugs in a joking manner, because I was acting so out of character. My mother was really upset and couldn't understand why I would do such a thing in public. My cousins and Aunt laughed and thought it was hysterical and proceeded to eat their meals. I laughed at my mother's reaction because she was so angry and she's so use to me being reserved and well mannered that she didn't expect me to act in such a way. My other family members are naturally silly people so I knew that it would make them laugh if not anything else. My mom actually asked me to step outside with her so we could have a conversation; I apologized and stopped because I knew she was getting highly pissed off. When I explained to her it was for school she immediately became calm and laughed.

Knowing that people really are not educated on how to eat/act in public, can really make someone else's self esteem low. Not everyone is taught as a child how to eat or the right and wrong things to do at a table. I have came in contact with people who do not know how to act when they are in a public restaurant and it is quite embarrassing... so I know how my family felt when I was only acting. Going in public and acting like my parents never taught me anything was an eye opener on how I have to train and raise my children. I learned from this assignment that someone is always watching you so it is best to use your best manners at all times and be respectful of people and yourself when you are accompanying them. It says a lot about your character and how you were