Blunt Bites: The Lady At The Cafe In London

[ Blunt Bites break away from my normal, detailed laugh-out-loud (right?) posts. They are like snapshots of a significant part of my life. Sometimes, they’re serious. Sometimes, they’re funny. But they’re always gonna be delicious. Yum. ]

I was living in London at the time. One night, some friends and I decided to eat dinner at an Italian cafe; and if there’s anything more disappointing than London food, it’s London food trying to be Italian. As we drank our wine, I jotted down some thoughts in my journal while listening to the rain hit the windows.

I noticed you walk in and take a seat at the table by the window, where you had a perfect view of the beautifully wet cobblestone streets. I would have done the same thing. Those streets are still my favorite part of London. Your glasses were huge, and at first glance I thought you might be a man. You weren’t. Just an elderly lady wearing a beautiful dress and oblivious to the world around you. When a bottle of expensive champagne arrived, I was certain that you were waiting for someone. Anniversary, perhaps? Milestone birthday? As you finished your dinner, I couldn’t help but wonder.

But no one ever joined you that night. And it became increasingly evident by your level of confidence, that was what you expected.

Part of me felt sad for you.

The other part, jealous.

27 thoughts on “Blunt Bites: The Lady At The Cafe In London

  1. Beautifully shared snipet of a moment in life, Blunt!

    “As you finished your dinner, I couldn’t help but wonder.”

    Like you, I often see people either at a restaurant, subway station, or at a bus stop who sort of peek my curiousity in wanting to know more about them. Almost like my feelings go out to them.

    I love to people watch!

    X

    P.S. Nice photo, girl!

  2. I am learning to stop feeling bad for everyone I see eating alone – since some of them are simply confident, grounded souls who just freaking want some food.

    Also, I love your writing 1000 times over and then beyond that.

  3. I’m jealous of anyone who can eat alone in public. That’s one of my biggest freaky-feelings. I can’t stand to go out to eat by myself. I see other people doing it all the time and I think nothing bad about it (although I do notice). I just can’t do it.

  4. lovely, lovely lil’ bite!!

    eating out alone is lovely, but it’s all in the place. I have a few spots in PEI where I’ve been perfectly happy eating alone, and they’re favourite haunts for me to go enjoy some seafood chowder and a good book. But at some places I’ve gone alone the service staff make me feel awkward and uncomfortable 🙁 Sometimes, I don’t want company, I just want good food, a lovely view, and quiet.

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