My mom used her children as tools to advance herself strategically. One Christmas, she had to take me with her to pick up my sister from school in Switzerland for the holidays. But, she actually had her own secret agenda and was too pre-occupied with that to notice that my sister was very upset about something. Her agenda was that we had to get to Fredy Giradet's restaurant outside Lausanne for dinner by a certain time that evening. We found out that she planned this so that she could parade me and my sister in front of some of her acquaintances who were there. She just kept boasting about my sister and I. But, all the time, I noticed my sister getting more and more distressed, with tears welling up in her eyes. So, I became very pissed off with my mother for not paying attention to her, and I decided that I had to go in to bat for my sister, teach my mom a lesson and embarrass her in front of her friends. So, when the waiter arrived to take our orders, I pretended to be a kid from a white trash neighbourhood and asked for a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich". At Fredy Giradet's! The waiter was momentarily taken aback, but recovered smoothly. However, I had my own agenda now, and I wasn't going to let the issue be resolved. I escalated my demand...I would ONLY eat "peanut butter and jelly sandwich". By now, people at the other tables, including my mom's friends, were gobsmacked and had their mouths hanging open and they were gossiping amongst themselves, taking looks in our direction. Whoever heard of Fredy Giradet making a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich", heheheh? My mom was absolutely fuming furious at me by now. She glared at me with eyes that were meant to kill, but I kept sneaking glances at my sister, who, by now, had a huge, happy grin on her face, which was lighted up in wonderment. After dinner, I was sent back to Australia alone that night, and the next time I saw my mom wasn't until a few years later. But now, when I think back on those times, I feel like I've betrayed the revolution, when I see myself only drinking fine wines aged for at least 20 years, and flying off to Nahm in London (before David Thompson relocated to Bangkok) when I want some decent Thai food, which I haven't really been able to find in Sydney, ever since the Darley Street Thai closed.
