I went to a restaurant by myself and had a nice window seat. The server asked if I’d move near the kitchen for a big family. I refused. He looked uneasy and said, “OK.” I was speechless when the mom of the family came up to me and said, “Wow… you must really need this seat.”
I blinked, unsure what she meant. She didn’t sound rude, but it wasn’t exactly a compliment either.
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She smiled awkwardly and added, “I mean… people usually don’t say no when it’s for kids.”
Her voice was calm, not accusing, but it stung anyway. I forced a tight smile and said, “I just wanted some quiet. Long day.”
She looked at me for a second longer than normal, nodded, and returned to her family, who were now crowded into a couple of smaller tables in the middle of the room. The kids were squirming, the dad looked tired, and the waiter avoided my eyes when he passed.
