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Friday, December 09, 2005

The term "Doggie Bag" is just not P.C.

So today I'm getting up from a particularly animated lunch with a few female co-workers after a very satisfying lunch at Niko-Niko's (I live for Greek food some days), when I am surprised by a gentleman who asks if we are done with our meal. I look at him concerned, wondering if we were supposed to bus our own table - I had been under the impression that we could leave our plates on the table like other patrons had done. I look at him confused, and say "yes" as I hesitate, misunderstanding the situation, and move back towards the table. He responds "Oh OK, I was just making sure because I was wanting to have some." The man then promptly walks around the table, surveying our leftovers, and takes a plate of uneaten roasted potatoes and the remainder of my gyros plate and starts to eat from them. I was already in a hurry since, as usual, I was half an hour late to return to the office, and I was confused on whether this was appropriate behavior. Maybe I should have had the leftovers boxed for the gentlemen to take else where so he could eat it without the remnants of 4 plates in front of him in the restaurant?

This scene has both puzzled me and saddened me for the rest of this afternoon. I keep wondering how I was supposed to react in that situation - hopefully next time with more compassion. I mean, it is the Christmas season and all, right? Bah Humbug.

2 comments:

Cindy said...

That's weird ! I don't know how I would react. In a way I would be kinda chocked but in another way I guess I'd feel sorry for the guy. I mean, who comes eating leftovers at a restaurant ?

Anonymous said...

That is sad. It is truly unfortunate that there are people out there who have nothing but the clothes on there back. Part of me wants to give them the things they need, yet another part of me says no. Why cant these people work for a living like the rest of us. They have had to have had the opportunity at some point in time. How did they end up where they are. What was it that happened to make them homeless. Or are they just truly lazy unmotivated people looking for society to take care of them out of compassion. There are countless times I see these people begging and rummaging through trash. Yet they have cell phones (you yourself said where does the bill go?). They even have cars. so transportation isnt always a problem. I could go on about this all day and I will only have more questions than answers.

-Sometimes I Like Lemons