h a l f b a k e r y"Bun is such a sad word, is it not?" -- Watt, "Waiting for Godot"
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<memory floods back>Phone call on a Sunday afternoon to book table at restaurant for group of 10-15 people of varying smoker status. Cafe Rouge waiter with affectation French accent: 'Allo? Jane: Oh, hello, I'd like to have a birthday dinner this evening at Cafe Rouge and I'm wondering if I need to book a table or if we could just turn up? Do you get busy on Sundays? CRW: Urhh, Ei weel jeust see... 'ow menny persons will you be? J: oh, let me see, I think there will be up to 15 of us. CRW: And er yoo smmoking or nonn-smmoking? J: Well, some do, and some don't - is that a problem? CRW: 'Ang on a minoot, I weel just esk mey mennagere if we 'ev an errea for ze Smmokers And ze Nonn-Smmokers... PAUSE... me and friend are cracking up but trying not to sound like giggly schoolgirls. Which we really weren't, at the time. Cafe Rouge Mennagere also with suspicious accent: 'Allo? 'allo? I underrstand you rrequire a table for ze Smmokers AND ze Nonn-Smmokers? J: (desperately trying to think of ways to make this easier for him) Not really, I think that the non-smokers wouldn't mind just sitting near the edge of the smoking area - I just wanted to see if you'd have space for 15 of us 'on spec' as it were. CRM: urrhhh, I do not 'ave an area in zis restaurant for the on spec perrsonnes... J: no no, I meant, oh never mind. CRM: So weel you be wishing the table? J: (barely repressed screams of laughter in background) yes, we will, and it's ok for people to smoke in your restaurant, is it? CRM: Mais Oui, of course. J: Ok then, 15 people at about 8 o'clock? CRM: Zet weel be fine. LATER... Group arrives at restuarant to find there is no non-smoking area at all. Puzzlement turns to hilarity and the night continues being some kind of French cafe Farce. A good time had by all. And none of us have respiratory problems yet. |
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I'll half agree with you. How about only non-smoking pubs? Which are baked in California, and I'm sure, other places. |
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blainez, are you not seeing the notes being left to you about placing your ideas in proper categories and not just dumping them into other:general? Or are you just choosing to disregard them? |
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