Chocolate Wars

The following represents an actual conversation I had with Gwen last night.

Me:  I'm making a surprise for dinner tonight!
Gwen: What is it?
Me:  A new dessert: Death By Chocolate.  It will be delicious!
Gwen:  Is it dark chocolate?
Me: Well, yes.
Gwen:  I don't like dark chocolate.  I won't eat it.
Me:  Will you try a bite?
Gwen: No.
Me:   Just one little bite.  I think you'll like it if you just give it a try.
Gwen:  You know I hate dark chocolate.  Why would you even think I'd like that!  I won't try it.  I won't.  I don't like dark chocolate.  (etc, etc)
Me:  Ok, fine.  I just make three of them.  And, if you change you mind, you can have a little bite of mine.

Later, after dinner, Gwen gets a separate dessert while we wait for our chocolates to come out of the oven.
The timer dings and I pull out the dessert, each looking so deliciously chocolately in their own tidy little ramekin.  I place the dessert in front of Jeff, Caitlin, and myself and we dig in.  Gwen watches.  We are not gagging or choking.  Clearly this is edible if not actually tasty.  (Her suspicions are not entirely unwarranted, I have made dishes that have not come out as advertised.)

Gwen:  Can I have a bite?
Me:  Sure.
Gwen:  (Takes a bite.)  This isn't bad.
Gwen:  It is actually pretty good for dark chocolate.
Gwen:  Dad, can I have some of yours?
Gwen: (Has quite a few bites from mine and Jeff's.)

This sort of thing happens quite often.  Dinner time is not the relaxing event it should be.  More like the planning and execution of the invasion of Normandy.