Thursday, February 2, 2012

Causing a Scene

The other day, I sat down to eat at a local restaurant.  I was about halfway through my meal when a young couple was seated not to far away from me.  I really didn't pay them much attention, as I normaly keep to myself.  Not too long after that, a couple in their 60's was seated in our area.  They were about the same distance to the young couple as I was.  After I had finished my meal, I sat pondering lemon meringue or peanut butter pie, when I noticed the older lady was getting upset over something.  She was letting her husband have it and was pointing to the young couple.  I looked over at the young couple and saw that both had their cell phones out and seemed to be texting.  This went on for a couple of minutes but stopped when the young lady got up, I assume to powder her nose.  When she returned, the texting continued.  The older lady was just beside herself.  I continued to watch the situation even after I finished both pieces of pie. (hey, I couldn't decide.)  Finally, the older lady had had enough and she got up and went to the young couple's table and started in about how "improper it was for them to have their phones out"  and how "they should be enjoying each other's company" and "this younger generation" this and "this younger generation" that and on and on and on.  When she finished, the young couple just looked at her for what seemed like an eternity but was really probably only 10 seconds. The young man spoke up.  It was in a muffled dialect but I could understand him fine.  He said  "We are deaf. We text for privacy."  The older lady said nothing else and returned to her table.  I would have thought she would have said "I'm sorry" but didn't.  The older couple left not long after that but this story wasn't over.  As I came out of the bathroom before leaving, (hey, I had to drink coffee with my pies)  I saw the young couple trying to pay for their meal.  The waitress was explaining that the older couple had already paid for their entire meal including the tip.  I suppose that's sorry enough but it still would've have been nice to hear the words.  I guess everyone ended up with an amusing story they could tell and the young couple got a free meal, the older lady got to eat some crow and I got a dinner and a show and a stomach ache.  In the end, I wonder what the older man thought about the scene.  For some reason, I bet he enjoyed it.  I, also, wonder if the older lady will ever speak up again.  For some reason, I bet she won't.

2 comments:

  1. It is good that she got to feel bad for sticking her nose in something that didn't concern her to begin with.

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  2. I don't want to be that old person. I have already warned (teased) my children that I will probably express myself in other ways. That old lady deserved to feel bad I suppose. Thanks for posting :).
    Kelly

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