Yesterday I had lunch out with a colleague.  Seated at the table next to us was a family – mum, dad, 2 kids.  One of the kids persisted in squawking at a very high volume throughout the meal, intermittently taking time out to run and kick the glass front door.  The parents acted like it wasn’t happening at all. To me it was like having an ice-pick through my eye (and we weren’t at a Whitespot or Red Robin or any other kid-like restaurant;  we were at a relatively upscale Robson Street eatery).   

Shockingly, and mostly out of respect for my colleague, I exercised restraint and refrained from saying anything directly to them, though I was very, very tempted. That said, when paying the bill and asked by our waitress if everything was ok, I replied that the food was great, the screaming child, on the other hand, I could have done without.  And maybe, just maybe I used my outside voice. 

Maggie would have been better behaved.

Advertisements