Tea

In "Tea," a short story by Saki (Hector Hugh Munro), we follow James Cushat-Prinkly, a thirty-four-year-old bachelor who has long been pressured by his family to settle down. Despite being surrounded by potential suitors, he has never taken the initiative to pursue a relationship. The story unfolds as he prepares to visit Joan Sebastable, the woman his relatives have chosen for him, and he dreads the prospect of the traditional afternoon tea ceremony that accompanies such visits.