The cost of misunderstanding
Aug 5th, 2007 by Ollie Lind
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It’s funny how life keeps presenting us with lessons. I had gym workout this morning (Sunday) with an old lady friend of mine. (The friendship is old, not the lady) We had lost touch for a couple of years and, through a coincidence we spoke on the telephone during the week. But this story is not about the workout, or even the lady.
It is about a restaurant we went to for coffee after the workout. It was one of those quaint, chalk on blackboard, hot chocolate with marshmellow kind of places. It was fairly busy and we sat inside rather than on the street. The sun was shining, but there was a nip in the air.
On the table were two glasses of iced water. I assumed it was something they just did. We waited about ten minutes for service. I got up and went to the counter. A very attractive girl looked up at me as I inquired whether we ordered at the counter or it was table service. I tried to explain that we hadn’t been there before and didn’t know the score.
She scowled and snapped. “I’ll be there in a minute, okay?” I thanked her and went back to the table. My companion asked me if there was anything wrong. I replied, “I haven’t made her my friend.”
Another ten minutes went by and the girl came past the table. My companion raised her hand. “Excuse me.” “In a minute.” was the stern reply. I laughed after she had gone. “You didn’t make a friend either.”
We continued talking, catching up on old gossip when the girl finally arrived. We placed our order, a hot chocolate and latte when my companion commented about the iced water. “Could these be replaced, if you don’t mind. They were here when we got here.”
The girl sniffed, gathered the glasses and retreated.
We waited another twenty minutes and then decided to leave as we were obviously being punished for something.
Neither my companion or I were particularly upset. We were happy to see each other and had a good time talking.
It was only later that it struck me the girl thought we were attacking her. I had been as pleasant as I could be when I asked how we should order. She obviously thought I was complaining.
Her misunderstanding us has cost that restaurant significant future income as my friend and I will be working out at the gym each Sunday and will be looking for somewhere regular to have coffee or a snack after training.
Is it any wonder that some people have a warped or negative view of the world when they see only what they want to see. It says something about how negative some people’s lives must be.
I hope she finds happiness somewhere in the universe. I wouldn’t wager on it.
As they say in Monty Python, “Always look on the bright side of life.”
Ollie Lind