"WE'RE EATING"

When I was a young lad, I often was lateor missed dinner because it wasn't real important to me.It was however important to my parents and I didn't know why. When we were eating and some friends would stop by my Father would yell through the open dinning room window We're EATING! Now, one could not see out the high window and if they asked how long or if we could come out later he would repeat WE ARE EATING. People could not understand that they were a hinderance to our eating. Now things progressed to If it was'nt your friends but a siblings friends then it was great fun to explain that WE"RE EATING!!! IF someone had been introduced to the family and all knew they were trustworthy then they would be allowed to wait in the parlor. But many found this to be too odd of an experiance and often left " to catch ya later". It was akin to waiting for an appointment I would guess. And of corse they would hear the dinner conversation. This of corse transfered to phone calls . But then the WE"RE EATING was directed to the sibling. My parents knew what we did not, A few moments together away from the world were precious indeed. Why then couldn't the man learn that a bowl of ice cream left, to soften would , and a nicly soft bowl of ice cream that was just melting away had to be gobbled before anyone could stop you.