Learning to Banter

Mixed Nuts Episode 9.

Dan stands at hob (stove), Liam enters from back room, right.

Dan: How's it going?

Liam: Alright. (Looking into frying pan) ...You broke two egg yolks.

Dan: Yeah... and? I did it on purpose. (grabs another egg from carton)

Liam: Ah. Dan. The yolk will harden!

Dan: Yeah... and? We Americans like hard egg yolks. (cracks a third egg into frying pan, subsequently using shell to break the yolk)

Liam: Ah! What are you doing?! Ruining a perfectly good yolk! (storms out of kitchen, left)

Dan shrugs and continues frying the eggs. After a moment, Liam reenters, left, with Ellie.

Liam: Ellie, look what Dan did.

Ellie (looking slightly confused): What?

Liam: He cracked two eggs into the pan perfectly, and then he broke the yolks. On purpose!

Ellie: Ahh! What would you do that for? Ruining a perfectly good yolk!

Liam: That's what I said.

Dan: I dunno. Seems normal to me.

Ellie: Ugh! I can't watch this.

Cut. Cue Theme Music.

And such is the life in our house sitcom. The British are known for this sort of banter, a complex mix of witty humour, multi-layered biting sarcasm, and twisted inside jokes. It has taken me over a year to begin to get it because working with international students and living in the non-intimate Acland atmosphere has prevented me from getting a concentrated dose of banter. But now living with this lot, you had better watch out, for my banter will be free flowing and epic.

Learning to banter has been tricky on both sides. My housemates have admitted to being cautious with me, fearing that I won't recognize that their biting humour is, in fact, all in good fun. In the first two months living together, they have dealt it freely to each other but kept it lighter with me. Indeed, a non-housemate even (seriously?) accused me of something, saying, "But you're American. You don't understand British banter." But now... now I get it. And watch out, housemates; it's on!

So while the token American has been learning to banter, it has been an incredibly busy time. Somehow four weeks of term have already eluded me, and Halloween is suddenly upon us. The leaves have turned and fallen and, unlike last autumn, the dreary British mist-drizzle is constant. The weather has truly turned colder and the first signs of Christmas are upon us: decorations starting to go up in Cornmarket street, restaurants beginning to advertise Christmas menus, saving a date for a house Christmas party. I imagine mulled wine and cider will be making their comforting appearance in just a week or two. I even saw the first poppies yesterday, meaning that Remembrance Day is just around the corner. Strangely, I think I could be getting into the Christmas spirit really early again this year. I'm so excited.

Ah, but what else has been going on? Well, I have a new dance partner, Emma, a DPhil student from New Zealand. She was on the beginners team last year, so I am excited to be dancing with her this year. Our first competition, Nottingham, is on 24 November, so the rush is on to not only become familiar with each other (because everyone's hold and form is different, there's an acclimation period..) but to learn at least 3 intermediate level Latin dances (Cha cha, Jive, and Rumba) and 2 novice level Ballroom dances (Waltz, Quickstep). Depending how it goes, maybe we'll throw caution to the wind and try to pick up 3 intermediate Ballroom dances (Waltz, Quick, Tango) instead of the 2 easier ones... but we need to have a private lesson in Ballroom first! So much to do!

In addition to dance, the term has been busy busy busy with MCR events. I've been taking the time to join a new Shakespeare group with some other MCR members, so we have orally read through Othello and half of the Tempest together. I hosted an Acland Food Night early last week, cooking a delicious menu (balsamic, fig, and goats cheese toasts; chicken pot pie with waldorf salad; to-die-for chocolate cake balls) for freshers and 2nd years alike. I also joined with our Irish guitarist and an American Ukelele-ist during the MCR's first open mic night of the year and entertained the masses by hosting the traditional President's Port & Cheese night during freshers week (mmmm Cheshire Stilton). As you might be able to imagine, I've had something going almost every day (sometimes two activities!) so it's been exceedingly busy. Nonetheless, I still found time to introduce a card game to my housemates called Munchkin. Look it up online. It's hilarious and admittedly it took on better than I ever anticipated!

Well, I think that's a reasonable synopsis of the last couple weeks. Tomorrow I am meeting with a college fellow and two other musicians to try out a Mozart quartet. More on that later...

Mmmm homemade chocolate covered cake balls!