People Watching

On the spur of the moment this evening, we decided to go out to eat. We got there at the end of the early crowd and were seated immediately.

We were in the middle of the restaurant, surrounded by other folks - none of which I knew, by the way - not one.

To my right sat a couple. They were a young middle aged pair, both about 75 pounds overweight. They looked into each others eyes, held hands across the table, and talked almost the whole time.

To my left, sort of behind Daughter, sat a young father and his about five year old son. Even though they sat side by side, I never saw the daddy speak to his boy. The little boy immediately started coloring something while the father texted, checked facebook, and chatted on his phone. When the bread came, the little boy got a piece, ate a hole in the middle of it, then used it as a spy glass.  When their food came, the father did occasionally glance at his son to make sure he was able to get the food on his fork.

In the next booth was an older couple. Probably in their early seventies. They had dressed nicely to eat out. They both had a terrible scowl on their face and never spoke. Not once.

Behind them was a booth full of people who were chatting excitedly about something or other. One woman brought out her ipad to show them a graph of some sort, which they all looked at intensely.

Up ahead of us was a long table full of young children, parents and the grandparents. At one point, the four year old little girl burst into song. "Happy Birthday". She sang it lustily and her family smiled. Whoever had the birthday thanked her. The baby got down once and toddled around on unsteady feet, but was watched carefully.

My family? Well, we talked some. We laughed a good bit. We were silent a little when the food first came and we dug in.

But it did cross my mind on the way home: Did someone watch us?

Maybe we'll get blogged about tonight too.

People Watching

If you want to be really entertained, eat in a downtown restaurant.

Cute kids from babies to seven year olds, are always a joy to watch.

There's the family with two daughters, one about eight, the other probably fourteen or so. The family is dressed appropriately, they have good conversation. Well, except for the teenager. She is sullen and when they leave her shorts are....well, barely there. I think, "Do you parents not have eyes?" These are not short-shorts. These are without legs of any kind. You don't have anything to leave to your imagination, because, baby it is all hanging out.

Then there is the man who looks rather grubby. And one of his arms is tattooed all over (no color of skin left) except his elbow. Which is the  mouth of the shark that covers the rest of  him.

And his tee shirt reads "Spank Me"

You can't make this stuff up.

I see the  young woman who I suppose is a working mom. It looks as though she is meeting her Mother and small daughter for lunch. She is dressed in a nice dress and heels. Make up is done conservatively.

But honey, let me tell you! She has some BIG hair going on. Remember the eighties? Ain't got nothing on her. And I doubt she was born then.

I see an elderly woman walk down the sidewalk in hot pink. Her tee-shirt and cap match. She is carrying a small dog and a newspaper. It's about all she can do, and I wonder why in the world the dog is being carried. He has a halter and leash on.

There's a group of people who are taking pictures of the buildings, posing in front of them. Obviously, they ain't from around here.

There is a man sitting alone at a table, absently eating his lunch while he scribbles on some kind of electronic pad. He smiles and speaks, and he does look familiar...but I never figure it out.

I see a woman across the way with her husband and grand baby. She used to work for me, years ago. But the place is so crowded I don't make the effort. But I see a church friend at the tables outside, and we do speak.

It's pleasant. The waitresses all know us because we are regulars, and they even know what we are going to order. That's fun. Makes one feel like a celebrity!

I talk to a few people I know and sometimes when I'm there I talk to people I don't know, for whatever reasons a conversation is struck.

It was nice - nice to see downtown so busy, nice to see a slice of America without hearing about politics, nice to be with my daughter and enjoy really good food.

It was a good people watching day.