2 days earlier, if someone had asked me what would have done if a trainee waitress breaks glass into my food, would have not known the answer. Yesterday, when faced with the real situation in a real cafe with real chips of glass, really did not know what to do.
It was a routine request. As she proceeded to fill our glasses with chilled lemonised water, her attempt to place the second glass back onto the table was misjudged – it hit the rim of the other and instantly, the noisy cafe was quietened by the splitting sound. A flurry of apologies was gushing from the flustered waitress whose trainee badge seemed to jumped at my face for forgiveness.
A crack no longer than 10cm on the chipped glass stood between the lady and my seafood lasagne. Her expression was difficult to decipher. Guess mine was too. After a somewhat intolerable debate of whether glass may have landed in my half-finished pasta, she leaned forward to him, whispered, and left us (or rather just me) confused. Few minutes later, she returned with sharps in her palm, in an attempt to prove that the food is thus safe for consumption. Though am sure it is not the case, at that point, felt that her trainee badge was mocking me. As I pushed the now-cold dish aside, my dinner partner asked the waitress to leave us as some unlinked words left my lips in response to the outlet manager’s follow up. Having worked in the service industry during his school days, his empathy urged me to let it go while force feeding me with honey mustard chicken (pretty tasty).
Mulling over the event, in between bites of his meal, finally motioned to the manager to let it out. Took me 20mins to decide to do something that was over in 2mins. Was surprised at the firmness with little incoherence (often a problem when am caught off guard). Felt really good. Glad did not withhold the feedback.
“Please do not tell my manager.”
* * *
Just watched The Lake House. How do you hold onto someone whom you have never met? Indeed, if time waits for no man, then can man be the one standing by?
° do we even try?