They don't give us much food. His father is a terrible alcoholic. His speech is unintelligible by the time dinner rolls around. Unfortunately, he's the one who cooks.

I bring my own food to eat in private because two years ago I had violent food poisoning from food they gave me. We have tried cooking for them in the past, but it just gets weird. My family is pretty dysfunctional, but his makes mine look almost normal.

One of the things that makes me so uncomfortable about being there is that the father is allowed to control everything. He wants to drive even though he has been drinking whiskey in the garage all morning? Why not! Passing out in his dinner plate? Not polite to notice! No one challenges him and whatever his whim, the mother complies.

Um, anyway - so when we try to cook, it doesn't work out because it doesn't fit in with the father's plans. He needs to control everything. Whatever we make, he won't like. He thinks we are doing it because we don't like him cooking (I guess?). The mother will compare it unfavorably to what the father would have cooked, to make him feel better.

I need to not get so bothered by this. Just bring a book and ignore them. Or print out some topo maps and 'get lost' in the country side for six hours.