Dinner Adventure

And so I went off for dinner.
I drove around a bit in Old Town Pasadena and finally parked and walked around a bit.  There are a lot of people out on Friday nights!  Wow.... people that get out of the house.  How weird is that, right?
I decided on a restaurant.  It was busy but not a big line.  When I approached the hostess she looked around for my date/partner/internet hookup and seeing no one with me made an observation with her eyebrow:  Ut Oh.... table for..... (wait for it)....... ONE????????
Yes, thank you!  Please stop crying, it really is okay.  I have been single a very long time!
Well, we do not have a table for one open right now, would you like to be seated at the counter. 
I figure sure why not?
She seats me and that is the last I see of an employee for the next 20 minutes.  Well, I should say I saw many of them but none stopped.  Sure I could have asked but it became an experiment.  Finally I just got up and walked out.  I wonder if they even noticed?
So if you are ever in Old Town Pasadena, don't go to the italian restaurant that starts with an "F"  Ironic, no?
I shook it off and headed for my favorite place, Louise's Trattoria.  Forgive me Louise for not coming to you first.  You know how to treat a lady.  Even a..... (wait for it)  SINGLE LADY!!!!!
They were busy yet gave me a good table.  I had food in 10 minutes flat, if that.  It was wonderful. I gave him a 25% tip just to get back at the other place.  THEY could have had a 25% tip but noooooo apparently when you do the waiter math serving ONE person just isn't worth your time. Unless you work at Louise's.  Corner of Fair Oaks and Colorado.  Say GeeezLoueez sent you!
Now... about single dining.  There are things that you should know, besides the fact that you should treat the diner like an actual person who does not have rabies.
First:  We are not necessarily sad, lonely and depressed.  We might be-- but you and your spouse/date/internet hookup could be too.  Some of us like our own company. I know-- this is a radical thought.  We just like the food so we.... (wait for it) GO OUT BY OURSELVES!!!!!
Second:  We may bring a book (or a Kindle in my case) and appear to be reading.  But if you look very carefully..... IT ISN"T EVEN TURNED ON!!!!!!!  Do you know what we are doing?  We are listening to your conversations.  That is right. Sure it is kinda rude, but you are in a public place so maybe you shouldn't be discussing private matters  Now tonight I did not get that lucky.  The group behind me was discussing all the cats they have ever had.  I swear this is true. ( Don't you remember "Pretty Girl"?  She was a long hair.  No, she was a short hair.  She was a stripe and her brother had the long hair.  What was his name?  Etc... ) The table to my far left appeared to be either breaking up or wishing they were breaking up.  They looked completely miserable.  AH  They must be soul mates (insert sarcastic laugh here).  The group to my immediate right were great. Group of 5 women my age.  And they went through 2 bottles of wine while I was there.  First they talked about their absent friend who is going through a divorce and her ex is totally being a jerk and she had better get a good lawyer before he just finishes her off financially.  (Deja vu all over again) Then they talked about shoes.  There was a segue there but I don't remember how it went from one to the other. 
I then strolled back to my car and drove around until I got back to my Bed & Breakfast.
I am completely enjoying this experience.  This is a beautful old home.  I am in the smallest room, which is fine by me  I have my own bathroom an there is a little sunporch where I am sitting right now and writing at the desk.  Everything is shabby chic but not overly so.  In a little while I will snuggle down to bed and hopefully sleep until breakfast at 8:30 where everyone sits together to eat. I think there are about 5 rooms here.  I hope I can be friendly and interesting at breakfast.  I hear the chef is very good.
I do believe it is snuggle down time.
Good night everyone!