Sitting in a Restaurant!

So, I am sitting here in a restaurant, waiting on some friends to arrive and while I wait, I am people watching. It is a bad habit I know, but I am too old to stop now. I learn a lot about life through this habit. Some people head to the woods with binoculars and probably a funny hat to watch birds, some ride out to sea on a boat to watch whales, me, I take the simpler route and just observe people in restaurants.

The couple that just came in are really interesting. They are talkative, but not lovey, dovey. I haven't seen a kiss or a hand hold yet. They are in a little booth, but they were upset when they found that the bigger booths were all taken. I imagine they have children, at least two. You can just tell by their sporadic bursts of conversation. If you are married, for any length of time and have children, you can relate. If you are like me, the instances of a meal in a restaurant alone with a spouse and without the kids are very few and far between. Once there, you forget how to talk, there are lulls in the conversation, you are used to being interrupted and so naturally the silences burst in, instead of the children's voices.

There are two men in the booth right on the other side of me. I don't even have to turn around to know that they are both probably dressed in golf shirts and khaki's. They are undoubtedly work mates, probably don't really socialize outside of the office, other than casual Friday lunch although I think I can safely assume they play golf. More than likely, they play golf during the work day, using the time to smooze a client or two. I have worked with far too many of these guys in my life in the corporate world. Still, they crack me up!

A table of nurses, all wearing cartoon character scrubs, just appeared close enough for me to know that one of them is having a birthday. I am thinking there is some pediatric doctor or dentist's office missing a staff somewhere. But the three women are having a great time!

A cute older man and woman have arrived and watching them is causing me to miss my parents. Of course, my mom doesn't cut up my dad's salad for him -- what is that about!! I think I will not try to listen to their conversation - it might make me crazy.

Now I am privy to the conversation of a young couple, who I personally think are too young to be expecting this baby they are so busy talking about...but the conversation of young kids trying to be really grown up is making me smile. Ah...youth, how wonderful to be so ignorant!

I am writing this on check deposit slips because I left my writer's notebook in the other purse. A writer without paper is a desperate thing to watch I am sure. Perhaps someone is "people watching" me and wondering why I am just sitting here, writing on tiny bits of paper!

My friends just called and they are minutes away...it is safe to order some tea...so I will, and see what else I can learn from those sitting around me.

Living Happily In the Moment!

Bev