Common Decency

I had my dinner in a Weatherspoons today. I had French tonight so I decided to go early and have dinner in town and read through my French stuff there. This was a bit of a mistake as when I got the Weatherspoons in Holborn (the one closest to the Mary Ward Centre where I do my French, though knowing Weatherspoons there's probably one closer that I just haven't noticed) and it was incredibly busy. Managed to get a table but then couldn't risk leaving it in case some other French studying, hungry man grabbed it.

I thought about leaving my bag to 'mark' the table but was then worried it might get stolen. Used French textbooks and notes in an untidy scrawl would fetch quite a sum on the black market I'm sure. So I decided to ask a fellow patron to keep an eye on my bag left on the table while I was at the bar.

I looked around, there was a guy reading a book, trying almost too hard to look not like a criminal. Obviously he couldn't be trusted. On the other two tables were gangs of business men who I thought might just steal my bag to punish me for wearing black flared corded trousers (maybe I should be punished). This left a couple on the table in front of me. They seemed ok, chatting away, eating nachos. They're a couple! Whose ever heard of a criminal couple (except Fred and Rose West)? So I went over, apologised for interrupting their chat, and asked if they wouldn't mind just looking out for the bag for a minute or two while I was at the bar.

Christ, they acted like I had just asked them to help me move this weekend, starting with the piano. They looked at each other and went 'er...um...er', I suddenly panicked that they would refuse and I would go without supper for the evening, so I said 'Its not a bomb or anything'. They looked slighty unnerved by this as you can imagine, though I didn't look like a terrorist. What self respecting terrorist would have my hair? It did the trick though, they agreed. Most likely just to get rid of me.

I don't know whats wrong with people. It was a tiny favour, and they were so funny about it. Its stuff like this that makes me despair of the human race. Just help each other out a bit, its not hard! My steak tasted strangely bitter once I got it (they had kept my table and bag, so my guess they weren't criminals was correct), though this was probably more to do with Weatherspoon kitchens than anything else. Hah.