Dining woes

Although the table conversation at dinner was every bit engaging and the company was delightful, but it was what was going on at the next table that added the extra spark to the evening.

I do not think that the man and woman on the next table are an item- and very likely it was the man who asked the woman out. She was all made-up, donning an all black ensemble- spaghetti strap top and linen trousers. He was in his dark navy working shirt and grey pants.

So they placed the order for their food. She ordered spaghetti and prawns tossed with garlic-olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes, and he ordered a sirloin steak with broiled vegetables and mashed potatoes. Shortly after, a nice char-grilled steak was served before him, and the waiter served her with a plate of nicely mixed tomato pasta, sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

The pasta was clearly too red for aglio-olio’s own good, even if the chef was generous with his serving of sun-dried tomatoes. After a few mouthfuls, she realized that this was not her order. She called for the waiter and told them that they got her order wrong. They had to send the pasta back to the kitchen and have it redone.

So there she was waiting for the pasta while he was happily putting nicely cut bite-sized beef cubes into his mouth, making short comments about his food every now and then, totally oblivious to his hungry partner. She called the waiter over and asked for her chocolate shake.

He must have realized she was hungry, so he offered her a cube of steak on his fork. She shook her head on his first attempt, so he put the reject into his mouth. Undiscouraged, he tried again- and she shook her head again. Third try, “you really should try this, it’s not bad”. Her chocolate shake came and she started sipping on it. So Mr Clueless eagerly finished his dinner, cleaned his mouth with the napkin and shone her a stunning smile of satisfaction. “The steak was really not bad”. A few minutes later, the waiter brought the spaghetti for the lady, and cleared the man’s plate away.

***

Could the man not have waited for the lady’s dinner to be served before he continued with his dinner? How could any gentleman let a hungry lady watch him eat?

Mr Nice may not want to trouble the cook to heat up his food again, or he must be really hungry. But could he not have slowed down, take longer pauses and finish his dinner with or after his fair lady? How fun is it for a dinner for two when one eats after another? Gee.

Could he not have cleared his plate later? He has successfully made her look like a glutton when she is the only chomping on her noodles while his dining space on the table is bare. :(

***

Making too much a fuss out of a restaurant's mistake? Perhaps. Reading too much into a simple dinner went wrong? Maybe.

But just wondering.... Men- what would you have done in his shoes? Ladies- what would you have liked in her shoes?