The Floor
I was in high school when I went over to a classmate’s place to study. Her mom didn’t allow us to sit on the furniture. She said we had to wait until we were 16 (we were 15) because “everyone under 16 is still a kid.” We couldn’t sit on the dining chairs or the couch; we studied and ate on the floor.
Curfew
My classmate invited me and another friend over for a pajama party on Saturday. They lived in a big house, and we were excited to stay up late watching movies. But it turned out our curfew was 7 PM (!) because she shared a room with her 4-year-old brother.
The Trash
My fiancé’s parents are quite well-off and live in a huge two-story house with 4 bathrooms and 6 bedrooms. Yet, there’s only one trash can in the entire house, downstairs in the kitchen. When I asked my fiancé why, he was surprised and asked why there should be more than one. I told him, for example, so I wouldn’t have to walk across the whole house with my used tampon to the kitchen trash while his parents were having breakfast.
Decoration
One of my coworkers had been pestering me for months to come over for dinner with my husband, so I finally gave in. After eating, I went to the bathroom, and a few minutes later the hostess came in, furious that I had used the towel. She made such a fuss that we all ended up in the bathroom, where there was no other hand towel except the one hanging by the sink—which turned out to be just “decoration”! I asked where the “real” hand towels were, but got no answer.
The Answer
We were at my cousin’s lake house watching the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” I shouted out an answer, and my aunt was outraged, saying they watch it by quietly thinking of the answers to themselves, and everyone has to stay silent the whole time.
Only Veggies
At my former band’s drummer’s house, the rule was that only vegetarians could use the bathroom for “number two”. Meat-eaters were allowed to use it only for peeing.
Swap
My ten-year-old daughter asked if a friend could sleep over. I said sure. An hour later, the friend’s mom called asking when she could expect my son. I was confused until she explained: her daughter could only sleep over if my 15-year-old son stayed at their place that night, “for safety reasons.” I asked if she really thought my son would hurt girls. She said, “Just to be safe.” (No sleepover happened.)
Usage
A high school classmate invited me over. They lived in a large, two-story house, but when she opened the door, she led me to the basement. I thought that was her room, but it wasn’t just her room—it was also the living room, kitchen, and her parents’ bedroom. The whole house was beautifully furnished as far as I could see. She said her mom didn’t like cleaning, so they lived in the basement.
Board and Lodging
At a classmate’s sleepover party, her mom insisted I bring my own bedding and toothpaste, and if I wanted to eat with them, my parents had to send money for the food.
Frugal
At a friend’s house, the rule was that if the toilet water was clear when you went in to pee, you couldn’t flush. You only flushed if the water was yellow from peeing. That’s how they saved water.
