The anniversary dinner that almost wasn't

So we had made reservations at a restaurant, well actually they didn't take reservations but when I called on Tuesday for our Saturday night out they put me on the "call list". Essentially that means when we arrive they put us at the front of the waiting list. Sort of seems like a way to take reservations without saying you take reservations to me.

They asked "Is this a special occasion?", I said yes and explained it was our 30th Wedding Anniversary. They said "that is so nice".

Well that was Tuesday, on Saturday we arrived and after some checking they did find my name on the "call list" and said "we will mark you as arrived, is the rest of your party here?"

HUH?

There is no "the rest" I stated. Just the two of us. They said but it says here this is a party of 30. So, I explained the obvious error. "Oh", she said with really no other words, just turned and took the next person in line.

We waited about 20 minutes as we saw the 3-6 people at the desk just keep taking names and seating no one. We listened as others waiting got less patient and more angry. Then my sweet husband of 30 years whispers in my ear "I don't have a good feeling about this place". See, we were dressed like we wanted to celebrate a 30th wedding anniversary. However, we wanted steak and the restaurant we choose had that but they also had, right there in the middle of the dining area, a riding bull. Hmmmmm...that explains everyone in jeans, cowboy hats, and holding a beer.

Gary decided to walk to a close restaurant and see if it might be better for us. I stayed there and waited. Eventually they finally sat a group that had been waiting. But only after one of them went behind the counter, showed them on their screen how long they had been waiting and pointed out that there were a number of empty tables just waiting for "butts to fill the seats". Then a party of 50-75 people came in and went straight up the spiral stairs to the loft area. I thought, "hmmmm...wonder how they will serve that large group and the other patrons when they can't seem to handle getting people to tables".

Gary returned and we were no closer to having a table. Also, the other place seemed to be a carbon copy of this one, minus the bull and plus about $20 more plate. So, I went to the counter and asked when we might get seated. This began a flurry of attention for the 3 people now pretending they were working on seating people. They began to yell at each other and the complete incompetence of what was going on there could no longer be hidden. They pointed up to a table on the walkway going to the loft where that big group just went. I said that would be fine until my, again sweet husband pointed that it was directly above the bar where the smokers sit. I inquired about that and the nice, but not so intelligent, young man said "that won't be a problem because that is a no smoking section". I watched as the smoke from the smokers went up, right up to the area they wanted to seat us at. In case you didn't know, smoke rises. I pointed this out and he said "well no one's ever complained about it". I thought "that's because they were too hungry and drunk from having to wait 2 hours for a table and drinking beers while they waited". But I showed great restraint and just said "I think we'll go somewhere else to eat".

We checked out 2 more restaurants in the area and decided to head back to our end of town. On the way we stopped at a place well known and decided to try it since the wait was only 40 minutes. As we waited we asked to see the menu. When we saw that the smallest steak on the menu was $36 we decided this was not the place for us. I like food but it really only serves one purpose and at that price one meal would be more than a week's worth of groceries for us. I just couldn't stomach that. :)

We left and ended up at a place we go to a lot. Nothing fancy, but the price is right, the food is good, service is excellent and the wait was only 25 minutes. By the time we sat down it was 3 hours from when we arrived at that first restaurant we had the pseudo reservation at.

By this time I'm frustrated, hungry, and close to tears because all we wanted was a quiet special meal together. As I'm about to feel really sorry for myself a party of 3 is seated at the table next to us. Two kids and their dad. The little girl told the server "Daddy always brings us here. Every Saturday and I always get the same thing. We aren't with mommy on Saturday's". I watched as she quietly sat and colored, her brother played his video game thing, and the dad just stared out in space.

I looked back at my husband of 30 years and thanked God for a marriage that has lasted.