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Eating For One
October 22, 2004

What is it about society that dictates how we feel about people doing things alone? There appears to be a stigma for being independant and self assured.

It's as if you're walking around with the word "LOSER" stamped on your forehead.


So The Husband and I are on crazy schedules right now. I was alone last night and decided to treat myself to a nice dinner at the Greek place down the street. I was craving souvlaki and did not want to hassle with having it delivered. I figured I would just gather up some Tricking notes and walk down for a nice treat.

"Table for one, please."

"One? So no one is joining you?"

"No - it's just me."

"Oh. Well. Um. Ok. Do you mind sitting at a table for two?"

"Oh goodness no."

She looked at me with a combination of disbelief and pity.

"You're waitress will be with you shortly."

"Thank you!"

I set to looking over some notes when Perky Stacy arrived.

"Hi! I am Stacy! Did you want to wait for the other person before you order?"

"There is no other person. It's just me."

"Oh." Look of dejection.

"Well, gosh that's ok."

"Ha ha... yes it is ok."

"Well good for you. I mean. That's great." She had her head tilted and she spoke to me as if I was a member of AA and was celebrating my first year of sobriety.

"Indeed. Good for me. What's your special tonight?"


So my food came and I was busy eating and going over my paperwork when I noticed the people at the next table staring at me and whispering. I tried to discreetly check my nose to see if anything was hanging out or if maybe I had food on my chin.

But I was clear.

And then I noticed another lady staring at me from a table across the way. But it wasn't so much blatant staring as it was looking out of the corner of her eye.

I've seen this kind of behavior before when The Husband and I were dining out and the next table over was a man dining solo. People all over the place were staring and whispering. And I am sure they were making up gradiose stories about him being a drifter and a possible serial killer having a nice meal before hunting down his next victim.


It's craziness.


Next week I am going to go out again but before I go, I am going to make myself a nice, big fake booger and perch it strategically at the edge of my nose.

If people are going to stare, I want to give them good reason.

Posted by Foodwhore at October 22, 2004 10:20 AM

I think eating for one is on the same taboo list as going to the movies alone. Which, I happen to enjoy when I really want to see a certain movie no one else wants to see.

Posted by: Gail at October 24, 2004 09:14 AM

Eating or going to the cinema alone are taboo?!?!?

That's why i've been getting so many stares!

You are absolutely right: we must give them a good reason to stare. You do the booger thingy. I'll stick toilet paper underneath my shoe.

Joking aside: i love going to the cinema by myself and i won't wait for anyone if i'm hungry. I guess it shows i was raised as an only child.

Posted by: C. at October 24, 2004 09:31 AM

Hey, same thing happened to me Friday night... though I had a much more hip waitress who looked after me in a gracious comradely fashion.

Should have thought about the big booger... either that or singing to myself... would have made those stares very worthwhile. As it was, I stared back... that got people to look away. ;)

Posted by: Jen at October 25, 2004 03:29 AM

I am SO jealous. I haven't had an 'alone' moment in a *very* long time!

Posted by: Barb at October 25, 2004 04:59 AM

You would enjoy France. They go-it alone in droves over there. Very art-ist-ique, you know! I loved it. Personally, nothing like sitting down with a copy of Cooks Illustrated, a big frothy cafe au lait and a tasty treat - perhaps a canolli or a huge bowl of split pea soup... yum.

Posted by: Sasha at October 25, 2004 06:19 AM

I have a hard time eating alone unless I have something to read or watch, otherwise I get very bored and I might start talking to myself (which I do anyway) and that seems to really freak people out.

I do enjoy going to the movies by myself....but only to matinees. There's seems to be an even bigger stigma attached to nighttime "alone" movie goers that I just don't care to experience.

Posted by: Kristin at October 25, 2004 06:35 AM

I did that when I waitressed. It was fun.

Posted by: Ranta Lot at October 26, 2004 11:30 AM

Oops ... I meant to post my above entry in the above comments area. Sorry.

Seldom do people eat alone. I noticed that when I was waitressing people would either ignore or smile sympathetically at anyone sitting alone.

The only thing I was bummed about was that the table tip wouldn't be as much because one person runs up less of a tab than two or more.

Posted by: Ranta Lot at October 26, 2004 11:34 AM

So today I was caught by a hunger pang near McDonald`s, so I nipped there for some chicken salad and fries. As I was eating, I noticed people staring at me, and one little girl even pointed her finger at me. I started thinking about this story in your journal, and how funny people are about loners. Only as I was leaving, I noticed that I had this HUGE blob of ketchup, smeared on the front of my t-shirt! I wonder if I did it acidentally-on purpose, to distract people from me being alone :D

Posted by: Muse at October 30, 2004 10:45 AM

Ah, spilled ketchup usually gets me, too.

And by the way - fries with salad? You're my kind of girl! LOL

Posted by: The Food Whore at October 30, 2004 03:52 PM
 
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