Back on the patio

June 3, 2007

When I started this blog, I committed to a positive attitude on it. No extreme drama, no hateful blogs, etc. Today I had my first ‘caught myself’ preparing for negative vibes. And it may even sneak into the blog before it’s over.

Here’s the deal – there we were, back on the Sunday patio listening to the young lady playing her heart out on the guitar, with her gentleman friend strumming the mandolin. He reminds me a bit of John Coribtt from Northern Exposure and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but I’m sure it’s the hair. Anyway, I understand that today’s society is full of cell phones – I have mine handy. I understand that we’re at a restaurant on a patio, not in a private music hall or amphitheatre. I understand that people are eating, and being served, and ordering, and enjoying their company at their table. But still, there’s a point when your phone conversation interrupts my day, and then you are rude. If I am two tables over and a good 20 feet from you, I shouldn’t be able to hear your words over the breeze and the singer. If you have to say, “I can’t hear you”, then your response should be to get up and leave the patio, not talk louder, so that I can hear you more clearly. If I am considering asking you to hand me the phone so I can give them directions, if they’re too dumb to understand yours, which I can hear, then you need to tell them to go on somewhere else. And I really hate that look people get on the cell phone – you know the look I’m talking about – the look like “ah! I have a cell phone! Everyone, look at me, I have a cell phone!” I admit it, I have one too. I admit to talking on it in public. I talk on it with my voice lowered and even occasionally the comment, “I’m on my cell in public right now, I can’t discuss that.” But this woman took several phone calls, raising her voice each time, to give directions. So anyway, she annoyed me so much that I took a picture of her with - - - - my cell phone! - - - and I’m tempted to put it on here. But that’s not a positive thing for me to do.

The positive thing is to focus on the afternoon. A full day with My Fella, we woke up in time to get him to the hospital to see his uncle in I.C.U. What a surprise, other relatives were there. They had a least a two hour drive to get here by 9a.m., and left right after. We really didn’t think anyone else would be there that early. Made it home in time to go to church, which was, as always a lovely service. Afterwards, we skeedaddled back to the hospital for the 1p.m. visit. My Fella was the only one there this time. Starting to get a bit hungry, I suggested we go to the patio. Her singing was lovely again, so glad it was not a fluke. I look forward to having a job so I can tip her a decent dollar amount, not the grubby one and two dollars I’ve had to do. For lunch, I ordered a chicken sandwich on Ciabatta bread, with a nice slice of roasted red pepper, and a slather of Boursin cheese. It was very yummy. After about an hour and a half, we were both feeling a little nappy and came home, promptly falling asleep on the futon in front of the telly.

Waking up from a good nap with him is a perfect way to end our visit. He did not rush or make me feel rushed, nor was I rushed. I prefer it when our visits end softly like that, with no quick kiss goodbye. Sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s him. Life gets in the way. But today was very nice.

Now, let’s see, where’s the picture of that woman with such poor manners . . . . . . .

P.S. Serves me right – the photo did not email through correctly. It’s garbage in the attachment. Sigh.