Social Norms...

Our timing must have been perfect (or so we thought) because as we were ordering our calzone and side salad the place was pretty crowded with a few big parties, but by the time we finished and were ready to sit down the workers were cleaning the tables and the place had emptied out. Out of the twelve or more tables in the small pizza joint it was us and these two other dudes sitting on the other side of the room.

And then the weird people showed up. A goofy looking couple who talk loudly because everyone has to be interested in what they are discussing, and their little baby (you know the type yet???). Well I was snacking on my little salad while they were ordering their pizza and then while he went to fill up their drinks, she decided out of all the empty tables the one that could not get closer to me was the appropriate one to sit at.

Seriously? You might as well have joined us at our table because at least then you would have been sitting across from me, which would have given me a little more personal space than the chair you decided to sit in at that table. And the baby did not help the situation because that little girl was way more interested in looking at Sam and I then she was at her parents.

And how does this make it more awkward? Because then mom decides to talk to baby quite loudly, talking to her like an adult, asking her why she keeps looking at "them" (meaning Sam and I). All that twisting in the high chair was about to make her fall out of the thing so eventually mom just twisted the high chair so she could look directly at us (from like a foot or so away, so basically joining our table) all the while talking to baby about staring at us.

Then to make matters worse, Dad answers a phone call and apparently his phone was broken because he had to shout into it. All I can say is most boring conversation ever. And how are you supposed to react? Pretend that I don't hear mom talking about me even though it is dead obvious because we are sitting a foot apart in an empty restaurant? Yet, acknowledging it might suck you into a terrible conversation you don't want to be apart of. All I know is it definitely ruined our conversation because who wants strangers listening to you.

I hear their is an unwritten bathroom rule whether you are in a stall or at the urinal: you use the furthest toilet you can away from the current bathroom goers. I would appreciate the same courtesy while I am trying to eat my calzone.

Man o Man, some people's kids...