To try to alleviate this, the staff, who did an absolutely wonderful job, called everybody table by table to go to the buffet. As we waited, a resident walked in with her son on her arm. They began to look for their table.
My grandmother pointed. "See that lady?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Nobody ever wants to sit with her," MomMom sniffed. "All she ever does is complain."
Shortly after we were called to get our dinner. But when you got to the hallway, you still weren't allowed to go right in. You had to line up. So some people would follow the rules and wait forever while others would simply saunter in.
It caused some angry feelings.
After we had waited for a while, we were finally told that we would be next, when a group of residents went to the front of the line. My mother kindly explained that we had been waiting.
But MomMom, God love her, announced to this group of women, quite loudly, that they had to go to the BACK of the line.
By this time, the women knew this, and were already cross about it. So my grandmother shrieking at them was the last straw.
"WE ARE!" one of the women shouted back, right in MomMom's face.
And my grandmother swatted her, half-playfully but hard, and said, "I didn't mean YOU."
(Which, she obviously did.)
I was afraid there might be some walkers flying soon, but luckily, the women walked away and we got our meal.
I guess you never outgrow meanness, even if you are pushing ninety.