Customer Service
There’s a narrow window when it’s great to eat out. Not too cold, or too hot; it isn’t raining, and the wasps haven’t started to swarm, the mozzies aren’t biting and the pigeons aren’t dropping extra toppings onto your dessert.
And then there’s the rest of the year, when there’s always one couple. “Can we sit outside?” they sound apologetic. They sound like I could say no and they’d accept my advice.
And then they seem shocked when conditions mean they have to dash in, panicking. And they don’t even know about the extra toppings I’ve added to their dessert.
elmowrites 
Uh, oh… not a great place to sit and eat. Better to be inside – safe and cosy!
Certainly not best to annoy your wait staff! This one doesn’t look comfy either.
Wicked last line
Thanks Neil, all fictional, I promise!
There is a sense of wicked mischievous doings in this, or just a misunderstanding.
Oh, I definitely think mischief is at hand!
Dear Jen,
Customer service indeed. I love the descriptions in these. Of course I wonder what topping has been added to the dessert at the end. Wickedly funny.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Whatever it was, you probably want to order yours without, Rochelle. Thanks for the lovely comment,
Jen
We don’t dare eat outside here, the gulls seal our food!
…steal!
Seal sounds more like the pigeons’ toppings! But yes, seagull thievery is another reason to eat in.
I do like to sit out for a meal, but Scotland is not the most accommodating place to do ot very often!
Haha, I can imagine. We actually have a decent eating outside window in Toronto, but the wait staff definitely have opinions about when it begins and ends.
We have a semi-fast food place that caters to those with rambunctious children in a not-quite-that-bad outside area. It seems to work fine, but the heat makes it difficult for adults. I pass on outside even though it is safer. Well done, Jen.
Isn’t it interesting how our definition of ‘safer’ has changed in the last few years. I would probably be outside with my rambunctious ones – roasting in the sunshine!
Certainly true. 🙂
The last line was deviously good! This was a great story!
Thanks!
I wonder could it be a mind altering topping perhaps, quite sour so do not return
ooh, possibly! I was thinking closer to the ones the pigeons deliver, but anything is possible with a sufficiently angry server!
Ha! That’s a very fun take on the prompt. Servers have always had it tough. After Covid, it got even worse.
Amen to that. I worked in that industry briefly and it was eye-opening.
Beautifully set up. Extra toppings from the pigeons. Ew!
Indeed.
Perfect descriptions of that “perfect” window. I’m guessing the patrons wanting to eat outside did not know it was not THAT window. Having done this job, I can say I’ve never given extra topping – no matter who deserved them.
Thanks Dale, and credit to you. I also managed to avoid decorating the guests’ food, but I imagine some do.
Blech. I’d rather not, thank you very much!!