Where did you learn that word?!

[Skandranon]

So, I was stopping in my favorite burger joint for medium rare juicy heaven. To my left, a table of six adults, to my right, a family of four. The table of adults were laughing and chattering away loud enough to surely be heard in the parking lot. Oh well, I can block them out and still enjoy juicy heaven.

But their topics of conversation were also adult, varying from favorite brands of cigarettes to favorite sexual positions. The parents in the family of four weren't paying any attention, but the children were. The six year old boy was nearly taking notes. A few minutes after I arrived, he turns to his mother, and asks "Mom, what's a (insert sex position)?"

Mom goes ballistic. Face red, slams her hands on the table so hard the silverware does a jig. "DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT WORD AGAIN!!! THAT IS A BAD WORD!!! WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT WORD?!!!"

Cowering, he points at the table of adults, who have lapsed into silence in surprise at the outburst. They have the sense to look guilty.

Mother snatches Junior's arm and drags him to his feet. "Come on, we're not staying around such horrible people. Don't you ever say that word again. Come on, husband, we're going."

The family of four files out, and the table of adults sits in embarrassed silence. Then one pipes up, "Did they just walk out on their check?"

Yes, they had. In their anger, they had stiffed the restaurant. This was confirmed when the waitress came out holding the unpaid bill, saw they had gone, and threw her hands up with a scowl and stalked back towards the kitchen.

Now, here's where the table of adults gets my forgiveness. One of them caught the waitress' attention and said meekly, "We'll pay that bill, miss." They did so, counted out about 20% in tip, and spent the rest of their own meal in subdued conversation about movies.

[IT Grunt]

Now, here's where the table of adults gets my forgiveness. One of them caught the waitress' attention and said meekly, "We'll pay that bill, miss." They did so, counted out about 20% in tip, and spent the rest of their own meal in subdued conversation about movies.

Kudos to them for owning up to their mistake, I have a feeling they'll have learned a lesson for next time. Some people need to realize, that even in a crowded restaurant, voices /can/ carry, and depending on the locale, certain topics of discussion should be off the agenda, especially if it's a place where kids are likely to be.

[tollbaby]

Okay, I can kind of understand the mom being upset at her son being taught the Kama Sutra in detail at a hamburger joint, but honest to Pete woman, just ask them to please tone down the conversation because your children are listening intently! She had no cause to storm out of there, and she definitely was not justified in skipping out on her check. Kudos to the other table for at least showing a little humility and toning down, and HUGE kudos to them for paying Ms. Overreaction's bill!!!!

My kids have picked up some of the nastiest stuff just from people we listen to.... one lady told me off when I asked her to tone down her language, at which point my five year old, then three, piped up "mommy, is that lady a 'Ho?"..... My husband and I just about died laughing, cause that's one of the things she picked up from, you guessed it, that very same lady. THe woman huffed off, and I called after her "That's what you get... kids repeat EVERYTHING" My daughter was then taught NOT to say that word *blush* (which is hard to do with a three-year-old when they've already gotten a laugh out of it).

[CrazedClerk]

If the sex position you were referring to is numerical, then all mom would have to say is "it's the number that comes between 68 and 70"

If it wasn't, well that might be tricky.

[air914]

Wow some people. Why are you having that type of conversation in a restaurant anyway? Did you WANT everyone in the place to know your favorite sexual position???

[Talon]

The table of adults were laughing and chattering away loud enough to surely be heard in the parking lot.

The parents in the family of four weren't paying any attention, but the children were.

If they were that loud, how is it the parents weren't aware? And talk about overreacting!

Kudos to the loudmouths. The dine & dash parents should be banned.

[Dreamstalker]

Wow some people. Why are you having that type of conversation in a restaurant anyway? Did you WANT everyone in the place to know your favorite sexual position???

It seems that some people on the subway do...a highlight today was a couple teens loudly discussing their porn collections

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, I think Mom overreacted a bit, but kudos to the bunch of ...frisky...adults for stepping up to the plate and paying their pennance. That's very cool that they did that. Sometimes, voices carry more than a person thinks. I'm glad they didn't compound the suckiness and that they came through to make it okay for the waitress, who may well have otherwise had that cost taken out of her pay. Cool people rule!

[zzapp the witch]

I tell my kids they can't say certain words until they're 18. It works great.

"Why 18 mommy?"
"Cause when you're 18 I can legally tell you to take a hike and go live by yourself if you tick me off."
"What if I don't want to live by myself?"
"Don't tick me off after you're 18 then."
"Ok."

I love my kids. They make things so easy sometimes.

[mariamousie1]

Wow. Those people shouldn't have been talking like that in public, but they did the right thing. They probably would have quieted down if the woman had just asked them to though. I guess I can understand her point of view too, maybe she just forgot about the check in her anger. I wonder if she came back later to try and pay it. If she didn't, then she sucks.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I wonder if she came back later to try and pay it. If she didn't, then she sucks.

I hope she did, and I hope the waitress got to keep it.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

If the sex position you were referring to is numerical, then all mom would have to say is "it's the number that comes between 68 and 70"

But what do you say if they were discussing the Filthy Sanchez? All I can think of "this guy Sanchez, who fell in a mud puddle and needs to take a bath."

[DGoddessChardonnay]

But what do you say if they were discussing the Filthy Sanchez? All I can think of "this guy Sanchez, who fell in a mud puddle and needs to take a bath."

Never heard of him . . . maybe I need to double check my copy of "The Joy of Sex" and see if he's mentioned.

Oops . . . I just remembered: I packed it away w/the rest of the books from the office and they're all in boxes in the building.

Still . . . back on topic, the only place I can see that would be safe for that kind of conversation would be at home with no little ears around. No problem there, as there are no little ears around my house (unless you count the 4-legged ones.)

[BookstoreEscapee]

Still . . . back on topic, the only place I can see that would be safe for that kind of conversation would be at home with no little ears around. No problem there, as there are no little ears around my house (unless you count the 4-legged ones.)

At least the 4 legged ones don't repeat stuff! Or, hey, maybe they do...

(just had a mental image of some little old lady yelling at her tiny little dog...

"woof woof arf!"

"Where did you learn that word?! Never say that word again!"

[zzapp the witch]

I'm wondering why she's keeping her copy of the joy of sex at the office?