Who had the special?

I took time out yesterday to sit down in a restaurant for a late lunch. I had a table along the window, and sitting in the afternoon sun was just exactly what I needed after three long days of rainy fall weather. I had a plate of hot food, a cold drink, and the pleasure of my own company. It doesn't happen very often, but for the time being, I had everything my heart desired.

The people at the next table were not so lucky. She was unhappy about something, and although I wasn't close enough to overhear the actual conversation (nor would I want to), I was able to tell by the rise and fall of her voice that she held him somewhat responsible. For his part, he didn't say much.

I had one brief fleeting moment of wondering why one of them--either one--didn't just get up and leave. It would have been so easy to say, "You know, this is uncomfortable. I'm not happy and neither are you, and so--at least for now, I'm going to go and do something else."

But of course, they didn't. And I'm sorry to say that right at that very minute, not being one of those two poor unfortunate people turned into the very best part of my perfect, late afternoon lunch.