Member-only story
The Second to Last Bite
Arguably the most important bite of the meal.
In my family, we were taught that its rude to take the last of anything at the table, and the first of something is often reserved for the guest of honour. My brother and I were the first children in the family, so we were often fed the first cuts of holiday ham and prime rib, hot from the oven as my Grandpa carved it. I like the crispy end of the tri-tip, and for years, my mom would cut this end piece off for me as soon as she took it off the grill. It wasn’t until years later that I realized this was her favourite piece too.
Similarly, the last bit of anything is the one that is graciously offered many times to anyone else at the table, even when your mouth is salivating for that last bit of crusty sourdough or the one uneaten helping of potatoes. If you grew up in a family anything like mine, you know that the offer of the last bite is customarily denied. If someone offers the last roll, the odds are in your favour that it is they who want it, and so it is only polite to deny and let them have it. Taking the last of anything is considered rude. This is the indirect linguistic contract set up in families with a dialect like my own.
These rules are easy to follow in one’s own family, where the codes of conduct are known and shared by all. They get a little more stressful when…
