In the shadow of the Cane1

I had a friend from college who was happy-go-lucky and free spirited. She moved to a different city after graduation but we remained faintly in touch. Years later, she came back for a few months and we decided to catch up at one of our favorite restaurants. My friend was now married and had a young daughter, who accompanied her. There were three instances during our lunch that stuck with me. First, there was a moment when we were talking and my friend’s daughter interrupted us, asking her mother something relating to her doll. To my surprise, I saw my friend immediately put her index finger over her lips and notion her daughter to be quiet. She then sternly reminded her daughter that it was not good manners to interrupt her elders when they are talking, and made her apologise for speaking out of turn.