Walking into an Unfamiliar Room
Chapter 1
Caroline knows Ellen, who invited her. She recognizes nobody else through the open doorway.
Ellen is at the far end of the room with a tray in both hands. Three people are talking beside the couch. Someone near the window is taking a coat from a bag. Caroline has arrived at the time on the invitation, but she cannot immediately see what to do first.
“Hi. Is there a place for coats?”
The woman turns. “I was wondering that myself.”
Caroline smiles. “Glad I'm not the only one.”
Ellen sees them from across the room. “The bedroom, first door on the left. I'm so glad you both came.”
The woman lifts her coat. “Shall we?”
Caroline follows her down the hallway. They put their coats on the bed.
Know what you are arriving for
Check whether the time on the invitation means arrival or the start of the program.
Caroline's invitation says, “Come over at six. We'll have supper around seven.” She knows she is arriving for an hour before the meal. The message gives her a reason to expect an informal beginning, though it doesn't tell her who will be standing where.
If an invitation leaves out something that changes your arrival, you can ask the person who invited you:
“Does the program start at six, or is that when people begin arriving?”
“Is there a particular entrance we should use?”
“Will we be sitting for the talk? I'd like to know what to expect.”