安大略艺术馆（1）Art Gallery of Ontario

1

10 pm. I took out the cell phone to call my parents for reporting today's event so that they wouldn't bug me for quite a period because they would think their son did something great at least once.
After my briefing, Mom asked, "so everything went well?"
"Yah." I didn't even think I was lying.
"So you two will get married eventually, right?" It's Dad's turn.
"Yah." I answered, thinking how to mend the situation up later or how to lie to them next time.
"Very nice." Dad said joyfully.
"We feel so glad for you." Mom added.
"The only thing is, I was late. Actually, I was one hour late. It's traffic. And there's a Christmas parade in downtown Toronto."
"What were you doing? Don't mention traffic or parade." Mom blamed it on me. "You should take those things into account proactively."

"Were there a lot of pretty girls in the parade?"
"Why do you ask that?" Mom questioned.
"I wonder", Dad explained, "maybe he was attracted by those girls in the parade and then forgot the time."
"Oh come on, Dad. I'm pretty sure there weren't any pretty girls in the parade although I didn't even take a look."
"That's so not true. Canadian girls are very pretty. I was in Canada." Dad argued.
"But look, Dad, people have different criteria on the definition of prettiness. Naomi Watts is a pretty woman to you, but to me, Sister Phoenix could be a beauty."
"Who's Naomi Watts and Sister Phoenix?" Mom asked.
"Naomi Watts is a popular Canadian actress. But I don't know who Sister Phoenix is," replied Dad.
"Ok, no matter who she is, son, you should never be late for one hour."
"One hour late? I wonder how you explained to them." Dad joined Mom in blaming me.
"Yah, especially there's someone from senior generation there," Mom emphasized, "you couldn't do things like that. So how did you explain to them? How did you apologize?"
"I just said what had happened and said sorry."
Both sighed.
"Did they forgive you?" Mom worried.
"Yah."
"How's your girl friend's mom? What do you think about her? Is she nice as well?" Mom asked.

"She's fantastic, almost as great, glorious, and correct as our Communist Party." I mumbled.
"What? Sorry, didn't hear clearly," said Mom.
"Say, say it again." Dad demanded.
"I said, she's awesome. Moreover, after the visit, they even invited me for dinner."
"They did? How nice of them!" Mom commented.
"But they couldn't go for dinner with me because they would have an appointment in about an hour, they asked me to go for dinner myself and gave me some cash."
"Is it so?" Dad questioned, "well, that's an interesting family."
"But they didn't join me and just let me go for dinner alone. Isn't that weird?" I argued.
"That's not weird." Mom corrected.
"That's not? But I've never seen people showing their generosity this way," I insisted, "no one would extend hospitality this way, at least in solar system or even any known space."
"You forgot one thing," Mom reminded, "you were late, and you were late for one hour. That's your fault, that's where your problem lies. They would otherwise have enough time to go for dinner together with you for sure."
"Hospitality?" Dad cut in, "but who should be the host, son?"