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A sad story is told of an elderly man who lived with his son and daughter-in-law and their children.  As he grew older, his hands began to shake with increasing frequency.  At the dinner table, it was not uncommon for him to drop his fork, spill his drink or knock food onto the floor.  His mealtime sloppiness irritated his son and daughter-in-law.  They scolded him for his behavior and told him that they would make him eat out of a trough on the floor if he didn’t stop slopping food on the table and floor.  But even with their admonishing, he could not control his limbs.  Finally, in anger, his son and daughter-in-law made good on their threat.  They built a primitive trough and made their father eat his meals in a corner on the floor, without the aid of silverware.  After watching their grandfather’s humiliation for several days, the grandchildren began a building project of their own.  When their father found them working with hammers, boards and nails, he asked them what they were making.  The kids replied proudly, “We’re making a trough for you and Mom to eat out of when you get old!”  The dad realized the terrible mistake he and his wife had made, and the grandfather was restored to his rightful place at the table that night.

IN-LAWS:  Getting Along with Your Other Family, Ron and Jorie Kincaid, page 159