Our Friends Came to Visit Us in the Village and Felt Offended That We Didn’t Serve Them Beef

Why would you ever want to move away? Especially to the countryside. Everyones desperate to get to the city, but you two are doing exactly the opposite. Whats the appeal? I really dont get it. Its only nice in the summer; theres absolutely nothing to do in winter.

I have a friend, Harriet, who did her best to convince us not to leave. Her constant lectures annoyed both me and my wife. It almost felt as though she thought she had a say in what we did with our lives.

Even so, after a year of searching, we finally found the right cottage and made the move. Harriet would ring nearly every single day, half-joking and half-mocking, asking if Id finally found a proper job yet, even though she knew full well I worked remotely and had no intention of changing that. Shed go on: Isnt the internet rubbish out there?

Harriet came to visit at the beginning of October. Wed already been living there for over a year by then. She wandered about the garden with visible reluctance and spent the rest of the time indoors swigging ale with her husband, Mark, over the course of two days they stayed with us.

Throughout it all, even with our guests around, my wife and I kept heading down to the cellar to store away our root veg and finish bottling the last of the preserves. On the third day of their stay, Harriet and Mark started to pack so they could catch the evening coach back to London. We didnt hand them any souvenirs or gifts. But then Harriet quite boldly asked if Id give them a bag of potatoes and some apples before they left.

I said Id pop down to the cellar for the lot, but they were a bit hungover and not up for it. Instead, I handed over a sack and some buckets for them to help themselves to the apples. Complaining about how they looked, they nonetheless went to pick the fruit. I wondered how on earth they were planning to lug it all onto the coach. It turned out theyd asked my wife if he might drive them and their spoils back.

It was a six-hour round trip to the city. My wife cottoned on quickly and said she couldnt possibly drive because shed already had a drink. So, in the end, they had to make their own way with their bag of apples. After that, they disappeared from our lives for a few years. Sure, wed ring each other once in a while, but they never visited again. Maybe Im harsh, but I didnt miss them much round our quiet village.

Then, at the end of November, they turned up unannounced, apparently trying to surprise us for the weekend. But truth be told, we werent exactly ready for company. Wed just been plucking chickens for the past weekorders coming in for Christmas. Three beef cattle still to be processed that day. Well, a surprise is a surprise, so I did my best to rustle up a meal. Harriet and Mark tucked in, while we flitted about, never really sitting down together. Not much help was offered. They wouldnt have known their way round a plucked bird even if they tried; were all country folk now.

All our poultry had already been sold for Christmas through special orders. Wed planned to keep some for ourselves and for our parents before New Year. It was awkward. In the end, I offered them a goose if they wanted it, but told them theyd have to prepare it themselves. They said theyd deal with it tomorrow.

Next day not a peep. Well, that was their loss. Theyd brought the car this time and managed to sort themselves out in town. Before they left, I offered them some veg and jars of pickles take what you like. They filled the boot right up. I wasnt bothered; its nice to share when theres plenty to go round.

But Harriets next question stopped me in my tracks: You havent got any spare beef, have you?

I told her honestly that I hadnt. We had to fill our orders before we could keep anything for ourselves. Its not as though we have nothing to do we still have to earn our keep. And if there was extra, family would always come first.

Maybe they left in a huff. Harriets not called or texted since. According to our mutual friend, apparently were stingy. Harriet complained that she came all the way from the city and left the countryside with empty hands.

In the end, Ive learnt something important: living in the countryside will show you who really respects your choices. Some friends prefer taking rather than giving, but the simple life also brings far greater peace than city drama ever could.