“I used to drink a carton of beer and a bottle of whisky every night” said the man at the other table to his teenage son. He was joined by his wife, and three young teenage daughters.

My wife and I looked at each other in disapproval. This was hardly the story any parent should be recounting to his teenage children.

A few minutes later his son received a text message and was looking at his phone. “What have I said about phones at the dinner table?” he boomed. This drama was starting to get quite uncomfortable. He then followed that with an exclamation of: “Give me your phone. NOW!”. Everyone else at his table went quiet. His wife said nothing. His daughters didn’t know what to do. His son handed over his phone. The fear at their table was palpable.

My wife and I wondered what would happen to the kid once he got home.

I really felt for the kid. I felt like saying “Don’t worry kid. Your life is going to get better. You will leave your parents one day. You can have your own life. You can do anything you want to do. Hang in there in the meantime.”