Valentine’s Day Sinners and Saints

Yeah, I worked today. I worked lunch, and then into dinner because we were short a host. Happily, I didn’t have to work all night. Each one of these were phone calls or in-person interactions today. Here’s to a day all about the love!

Sinner–The guy who whined that he had a six-year-old in his party, and why, why would he want a 10 p.m. reservation? To which I replied, it was all I had available. To which he replied with a sigh, silence, and a reminder that maybe I didn’t hear him correctly, that he had a SIX-YEAR-OLD. To which I replied that we only had 10 p.m., and I was so sorry. To which he replied that I obviously had no clue about kids or how to take a proper reservation or about anything, or I wouldn’t work in a restaurant, now would I? To which I wanted to say, I’m sorry sir, it appears we are fully booked. Instead, I repeated that we had 10 p.m. available. To which he responded by hanging up on me.

Saint–The woman who called and laughed as she asked, “Right, you have a slot for two tonight at 8?” To which I replied that a 10 p.m. reservation was all I had available. To which she replied, “I’ll take it. God, I am such a dumb ass for waiting until today to make a reservation on Valentine’s Day.” To which I thought, yep, but you are pretty darn cool about it. To which I replied, “We look forward to seeing you this evening at 10.

Sinner–The woman who walked through our front door at 4:45 p.m., her husband in tow, and asked, “Am I early enough for you? You said 5 p.m. and here I am, 15 minutes early. Oh, and can you tell how happy I am about it?” To which I thought, Those who make reservations the day before Valentine’s Day at an extremely popular restaurant should just suck it up and be happy they have the 5 p.m. rez. To whom I said, “Please follow me to your table.”

Saint–The older gentleman and his beautiful date–both in their late 60s or early 70s–who sat down to dinner with his three older sisters. “I didn’t want them to be alone on Valentine’s Day,” he told me about his sisters who each beamed at me, dressed in full red regalia to mark the holiday. “And this is my girlfriend,” he said introducing a sexy woman with an undone, fit body and gorgeous, long, natural grey hair. The girlfriend was nervous, but cool. Cool enough to put up with a Valentine’s Day date with her boy’s sisters. To whom I wanted to say, “Please let me look like and be like you in 20 years.”

Sinner–The calls from hundreds of the desperate who morphed into one heinous and horrific excuse for a guest who begged, whined, pleaded, cursed, offered to bribe, semi-threatened bodily harm–all to share a meal on a day devoted to love.

Saint–The too easily forgotten, great couples who always get lost in the Valentine’s Day massacre shuffle, the ones who made their reservations a month ago, showed up on time, tipped well, and kissed as they walked out the front door–really long, lingering kisses. God love ’em.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all those who chose to eat at home!


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10 responses to “Valentine’s Day Sinners and Saints”

  1. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    We were one of those many couples without a dinner reservation. My husband’s work schedule is pretty unpredictable, and I’m sick, so we played it by ear. It worked out well for us this year — he got home on the early train and we got to the restaurant before they were hit heavily with couples and reservations.

    Luckily, they know us there, too, which helped. It also wasn’t a high-end place — we know better than to even try. When we left, there wasn’t a crowd by the door waiting for their tables, either, so we didn’t mess up anyone else’s dinner, either. (I also made sure there were a couple of open tables nearby.)

  2. jali Avatar

    We had Burger King last night – choice of the 16 year old. I went to sleep early.
    um….
    I want to hear details….

  3. mur Avatar
    mur

    We were one of the stay-home couples. I make a killer pizza that really is wonderful. Last night the crust was just the way we like it -thin as paper with a crunchy crackle when you bite into it. Add to that a great bottle of wine, a decent movie, and chocolate lava cakes for dessert, who needs reservations? We’ll go out for a special meal another time when the crowds are gone and there is no stress.

    Pretty perfect.

  4. María José Avatar
    María José

    we were one of the not-celebrating couples. I went to extra classes in the afternoon (my boyfriend was there but it was so not romantic! hehe) and then to a literature event, because a magazine he helped to put toghether is finally ready…then i went to dinner (pizza- without a reservation pizza) WITH MY PARENTS.
    im so not one of the cool kids!!! hehehe

  5. Kim Ayres Avatar

    Life is so much easier focusing on my daughter’s birthday on V Day. It also means I can happily be romantic for the rest of the year too 🙂

  6. Tinker Avatar
    Tinker

    Lord Luv ’em but the cranky people are making there own lives miserable, by pitching fits, instead of accepting what they are offered, as a result of their own stupidity, it’s a yuppie tragedy in the making. (You do understand what a yuppie tragedy is, right? It’s some, usually a clueless yuppie that wants you to sympathize with them, when the bad things in their life happen because of their own failure. Like they were running after a taxi and broke the heel on the $687, Manolo Blahnik italian shoes, or their new mercedes, arrived and it wasn;t the color that they Specially Ordered, because they left it too late. You get the picture.

  7. upset waitress Avatar

    I ordered pizza and pawned off some chocolates to the delivery boy 🙂 And I tipped him fat! Happy belated VD RG

  8. Maureen Avatar
    Maureen

    I had the best Valentines day ever !! my fiance made dinner complete with candle light rose petals on the table & champagne & chocolate covered strawberries for desert. I too waitressed for years on Valentines day & I would put up with all the sinners all over again just to know he’s waiting at the end of the rainbow !!!

  9. Manuel Avatar

    It really is a love filled day to work eh……

  10. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    Amazing, absolutely amazing, how you perfectly captured the attitude – or rather stupidity – of the general public towards those in the service industry.

    The gratitude of those working in the industry is captured, also, to those who are kind, and our surprise that they exist.

    Bravo.