MMeM, Vol. 15 Issue 11 – Bear Trap!

S

o the other night I saw one of the most unfortunate bear trap moments I have ever had the misfortune to witness. I was waiting to pick up a take out order from a rather high-end Italian restaurant one Sunday evening. The restaurant was buzzing and full of guests, waiters, waitresses, hostesses, and a few other people also patiently waiting for their orders, bills, and parties. The area to wait for your order was in a little enclave around the hostesses’ raised welcoming and payment desk.

Surrounding said hostess area was a circular 5 foot privacy wall which separated the lowly take out folk from the high brow dining patrons. As I stood patiently waiting, (I always stand so others may sit) there was a boy and I assumed his mother sitting next to me. The boy was playing with a drink that had a straw in it while his mother was intently working on her smartphone. Now, the young boy was blowing into the straw and while doing this was humming and making very loud buzzing and blaring noises. It was so loud that people from across the dining area over by the wood burning stove were trying to determine from where the noise was coming.

After about 15 minutes of these noises, a silver haired gentleman in a very nice blue blazer came around the privacy wall to investigate from where this sound came. He crept around and tried to do a child-like growl with raised arms like a boogey-man in an attempt to frighten or maybe startle the boy. He got no reaction from the boy or his mother.

One of the nicely dressed hostesses noticed and informed Inspector Clouseau that Xavier, the boy, was 4 and was waiting with his mother. “We gave Xavier a drink for being patient and waiting with his mom.” His mom, who had never batted an eye, was…in fact, deaf.

The look on the face of the man was so full of regret that everyone in the little enclave of shame, was now saddened for having witnessed it. Inspector then tried for a couple of minutes to rescue his dignity by trying to tickle the now cowering boy who was signing with his mother.

I was mortified. Finally, about 10 minutes later or an eternity, I can’t say for sure as my ability to track time was now lost, my food was ready. I delicately stepped over the bloody bear trap and exited into the night.