Eleven beautifully decked-out women gathered at the Preserve for a lovely luncheon, enjoying good food and even better company with their fellow ladies of Unit 28 on Saturday, June 11.
Most of the table was busily engaged in the serious business of deciding which delectable menu item to choose while catching up on the latest news and gossip. But not where I was seated.
Our end of the table had wandered into a completely different topic: tattoos.
About three minutes into the discussion, a gravelly voice from one of our diners—whose identity I am duty-bound to protect. We'll call her "M.," since publishing her full initials could trigger legal action from the editor—cut through the room loudly enough for everyone at the Preserve to hear:
"Ladies, ladies! We're going around the table, and each of you has to say whether or not you have a tattoo!"
One lady protested that the question was a bit personal before dutifully replying, "No." The others followed suit, each offering their own emphatic "No!"
Then it came time for the originator of this ruckus to answer.
Silence.
When reminded that she had, in fact, established the rules of this highly scientific survey, the woman who had demanded complete transparency from the rest of us suddenly discovered a deep and abiding respect for personal privacy.
"That question is too personal," she announced. "I'm not going to answer."
So, if you've ever considered joining the Unit 28 Ladies Luncheon, let this serve as fair warning. Yes, you'll enjoy a wonderful meal in a beautiful setting with fourteen delightful women who call SaddleBrooke home. You'll be surrounded by friendship, laughter and women who genuinely enjoy one another's company.
But you may also find yourself participating in an impromptu public opinion poll on subjects you never imagined discussing over soup and salad. One month it's grandchildren, travel plans and the latest neighborhood news. The next it's tattoos and constitutional protections against self-incrimination.
The Preserve serves an excellent lunch. The entertainment, however, is impossible to predict.
And as for those emphatic “No’s” around the table? Let’s just say the survey results may not have met the highest standards of scientific accuracy.
