The Kids' Table

The Kids' Table
Scott Connelly
13 August 2012
427 words

         I remember family gatherings where there were two tables set up. One for the adults, one for the kids, and everyone carrying on with conversation and laughter.
         Naturally the children would talk about whatever popped into their little minds, like toys, or random stuff; they didn't have much focus or attention spans. We would hear the low rumble of discussion at the grown-ups table, but pay no heed to what they said.
         Until...
         As the youngsters grew older, we'd envy those at the adults' cabal, hoping one day they would allow us to join in mature repartee. All I longed for was to make adults see how intelligent I was when they asked me about my philosophy on life.
         Many were the parties where I wanted to sit in the parents' chairs, and I became dissatisfied with those babies at the kids' table. I would dream of the discourse there at the grown-ups give-and-take – the days just filled with what's going on in the world; breaking down such up-to-date political or sports figures, or the latest information on celebrities and the messes they created for themselves.
         One evening, my father invited me up to the Big People's table. I was elated! Finally, I could listen to the news of the day, and tell them what I thought of these trying times!
         Well...
         That's when I found out the only things they discussed were the latest gossip about friends of theirs, and folks they hadn't seen in forever! All they talked about were themselves and what they were up to in their lives.
         In other words, boring stuff!
         I would sit there, hearing things like operations for injured compatriots, who bought a new car, who sold an old car, who got married/divorced; these are not the things I want to discuss – where are all the political debates, the goings-on of the stars, the worldview?
         I wanted to return to the simpler conversation of the children, where we gave a treatment of our favorite cartoons and candies!
         It was then that I realized that I could never go back; I was stuck in this pattern of inane chatter and ridiculous, unenlightened babble. And let me tell you something else: as far as adults and children go, the good news is grown-ups can keep their focus far longer than the kids – not that that helps.
         Eventually I, too, could talk about the most frivolous things without pause.
         Adults.
         You can keep them.