Is it possible we’re at the “early bird special” point in our lives? Feels like we’re too young for that still. It’s Winter Restaurant Week downtown so when I planned my menus for the week I allowed for a night out: a date night. It makes sense to go right after work though. No use in going home and then going back out again, especially when you work in the same building and therefore drive to work together every day.
We discussed trying a new place, or maybe the place we keep talking about going back to sometime. But when it came right down to it, we ended up at our favorite hangout. And yes, it was probably not even 5:30 p.m. yet. Maybe that’s already late for the senior circuit? I’m hoping. Maybe we’re right in that in-between stage. Not young and hip, but not old enough for the senior discount.
We walked in and were disappointed our favorite bartender wasn’t working, so we proceeded through the bar and into the restaurant and asked for their warmest table, the one furthest away from the door. This booth also happens to be where we had our first “date.” It wasn’t really a date, though. It was two friends meeting for lunch to catch up after a very long interval of not seeing each other. And contrary to my usual ways, I talked his ear off and barely touched my quesadilla. I had a lot going on and much to say. Poor man. As you can see, it wasn’t enough to warn him away.
As we sat at the table and craned our necks a bit to check out the new chalkboard beer list and the specials menu, I glanced over at the gentleman a few tables away. He was engrossed in a serious game of solitaire on his phone. I only saw a pint glass on the table and no evidence of a dinner partner. I hope he wasn’t stood up by a date.
Our server appeared to be working the room solo and every once in a while I would hear her greet the next guests coming through the door with “I’ll be right with you” as she rushed to bring food to a table or collect the check from another. Several times she would stop and work on putting a few tables together for what appeared to be a large group they were expecting. I said something to Doug about hoping there were reinforcements on the way to help her as the place was starting to get busy.
We decided to take our desserts to go so at least she wouldn’t have to wait on us any longer but thinking about it now, we would probably have at least been an easy table for her. Which reminds me: I haven’t had my dessert yet. It’s bananas foster cheesecake and I probably burned enough calories in Zumba class to compensate for it. Excuse me while I go indulge myself.
Written for WordPress’s Finding Everyday Inspiration course. Day 10: Let the Scene Write Itself