Jonathan took his son to the Patriots vs. Chiefs game at Gillette Stadium and they went to get food at Patriot Place afterwards. The place was very crowded and there was only one open table left. A woman in the back of the line put her jacket on the table to “save it”, but Jonathan doesn’t think you should be able to save a table, so he moved her jacket and sat there with his son. She had a meltdown and complained to the manager but he didn’t move. Should you be able to save a table at a crowded restaurant while you’re waiting in line for food? Or should the tables be for people who already have their food to eat?
Jonathan: Christmas is one week away. So there’s that. And in the spirit of the season, I thought people would be maybe a little bit more kind to each other. And I also have this weird thing in my life where I feel like there’s a different set of rules based on my sense of justice and fairness.
Ayla: That don’t seem to apply or maybe not everyone else is buying into.
Jonathan: And that came up yesterday when I was at the Chiefs Patriots game. Now I need to say that easily one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had since I’ve lived in New England and have lived here for now four years. And I would not have traded anything for the world. We met everybody we met at the game, whether they’re Pats fan or Chiefs fan or that one Bills fan.
Ayla: Everybody was so fun and just having a great time.
Jonathan: And I was there with my seven year old son. He had a great time. We were goofing around with people the whole game.
Ayla: So fun.
Jonathan: After the game, I was like, we could walk right to the car and be stuck in traffic even longer. Or we could eat now instead of being in the car going, God, I just need to get something to eat.
Ayla: And serve you son.
Jonathan: So we go to this place and Patriot Place. I’m not going to call them out. It was a great restaurant. I just don’t want them to get involved. It was a great restaurant, really good food. So we get in line and when we got in line, it was about, I don’t know, like ten people deep. And then progressively line went out the door.
Ayla: Because the game was ending.
Jonathan: And I’m noticing as we’re getting up towards the front line, there’s not that many tables in this place. There’s very few tables left. And it’s not like I could do what this person did because I have a seven year old son with me. And then we get up to the front, I realize there’s only one table left. It’s a high top table. And it’ll be fine for just me and Finn. Hopefully there’s nobody else that already has food that’s going to sit at the table.
Ayla: And nobody else was?
Jonathan: So as I’m ordering out of the corner of my eye, I notice a girl come from the back of the line, go up to the table and put her coat over one of the chairs and then walk back in line.
Ayla: To the back of the line?
Jonathan: So, Finn and I are sitting there waiting to get our food and I’m debating what I should do here. Am I down with this? I’m not going to stand here and eat my food or ask for it to go. I wanted to sit there at the restaurant, eat with my son. And we can also watch the other games that are on.
Ayla: OK
Jonathan: So I go up to the chair specifically, that had her jacket on it, and I moved it. Now there was another extra chair in the back. So I grabbed that and then put it at the table. I didn’t touch your jacket and it touched your coat.
Ayla: Yeah, but you moved her chair.
Jonathan: I moved her chair amd she comes over and goes. Excuse me. Did you just touch my coat? I went, No, I didn’t touch your coat. I touched the chair.
Ayla: Well.
Jonathan: And she said I reserved that table and I went, There’s no reservations. That’s not how this works. You don’t get to reserve anything. And I was like, I got my food before you. You’re at the back of the line. I would suggest you go there. And then I went back to eating with my son. She then goes over to the counter where the manager’s at. And I didn’t really hear the conversation.
Ayla: She tried to go full Karen. Oh, God.
Jonathan: So she goes over to the manager and I just hear. I’m in here. And the manager goes. Lady, I don’t give care. Okay. There is a line out the door. I don’t care. He had his food for you. He’s sitting there. Your chair is over there.
Ayla: Yeah. I don’t have time to deal with your crap, lady. Also, if you haven’t noticed, there’s a line out the door.
Jonathan: I don’t care if we lose you as a customer, because that’s what she was saying.
Ayla: So let me guess. She stormed out.
Jonathan: She had fumes coming out of her ears. Then comes over, rips her coat off of the chair. The chair falls over as she’s walking out, the manager’s like, Hey, come back and pick up the chair. And she just keeps going. So I was like, Ah, this crazy thing happened to me where this insane woman thought she could reserve a seat by putting her coat on it. I can’t wait to go and tell Ayla and Jim about this tomorrow, because I’m sure for once, they will have my back. No. Instead, both these jokers, I come in and they’re like….
Jim: I’m on her side.
Ayla: So if you’re in the same room and you put your coat on a table, baby, that is your solution. You’re reserving it.
Jim: She was smart to put something there.
Ayla: Yeah, she was smart enough to reserve it.
Jonathan: She’s not. That’s not smart. There’s a difference between being smart and being devious. There’s a difference. Cause it’s making other people think that somebody else already has their food and is about to sit there. Oh, maybe they just went to the back.
Ayla: Someone else has a place reserved and they want to sit there.
Jonathan: Okay. You both are out of your minds.
