restaurant manners....

 I generally try to be well behaved in restaurants.  I don't slurp my soup or eat my peas with a knife.  I don't shout or erupt with raucous laughter.  I try not to annoy people at neighboring tables and I never snap my fingers at a waiter.  I know which forks to use and I don't talk on my phone during dinner.  Happily, I can say the same for my spouse and friends with whom we go out to eat.  I'm certainly not always perfect but I do try to be couth. 

Today, however, I may have hit a new low.  Actually, a friend and I managed it together.  We were eating at our favorite Thai restaurant, Spice and Herb.  If you've never tried it you should.  We had managed to make it through most of the meal and were putting our leftovers in boxes to take home.  I was offered a to-go cup for what was left of my Thai iced tea, more that half a glass.  Thai iced tea is sweet tea served with a layer of heavy cream floating on top. As you stir the cream into the tea with your straw it turns a nice warm orange color.  I think it's delicious.  

As I said, I was offered a to-go cup which I naturally accepted.  I poured what was left in my glass into the cup and tried to put the lid on.  It was the correct size but I couldn't get it to click on, so I asked my friend for help.  We both agree now that I should have waited and asked the waiter for help.  Lesson learned.  As my friend struggled to get the cap to snap on, the cup actually folded in half (I watched it happen) and tea spilled all over the table, the floor and us.  Luckily neither of us was wearing white jeans.  Never before Memorial Day.  We're both old enough to still follow that silly rule.  Some habits are hard to break.  

While I frantically mopped up everything I could with the napkins on the table, the waiter (and several people at other tables) saw our distress.  She hurried over with a wet cloth and wiped everything up, table, floor, everything.  I did not know that one glass of ice tea could spread so far.  I got a few splashes on my shirt (it will wash out) but my friend got it all down both legs of her blue jeans.  She looked like she had had a more embarrassing kind of accident. After all the mess was cleaned up, l put my payment in cash in the folder provided and told the waiter that I didn't need any change.  When she saw that I had left her a generous tip (she certainly deserved it) she offered to bring me some fresh Thai iced tea in a to-go cup.  I hesitantly accepted, because I do love the stuff.  I managed to carry the cup and my leftovers out to the car with no further problems.

My only concern now is that my daughter and I are planning to go to the same restaurant for lunch next Monday.  What if they remember me and refuse to let me in?  Or worse, will only let me drink water?