The cruelty of some people.....

I rarely give a second thought to what happens to my guests when they leave and if I'm being honest I don't tend to give a tiny little rats ass either. I'm sure plenty of them venture forth into the ether to enjoy a few pleasant libations and continue the merriment. Like I say I don't care. But as I cleared the empty glasses, wine bottles and spilled sugar packets from my recently vacated table of twelve I did wonder about one of the party. I wondered if she had enjoyed the evenings revelry or if it had all just been all just been a torturous affair.

not on my shift you don't...

She was a large lady with sensible clothes and unsculpted hair. This was in very stark contrast to the rest of the table who were all guilty of trying too hardism. You know the sort, perfectly fixed hair, revealing clothes with matching accessories and all wreaking in odious and off putting scents. The women were no better either. And then there was this woman. Like I say she was large and, how can I put this, natural. It wasn't just her ample frame that made her seem so incongruous to the rest of the table. She was quieter than the rest and in many ways more genteel. But her voice carried no weight with the rest of her group - she spoke but was never heard.

It had been a works night out which explained why she was with such detestable people. I can't imagine she would have chosen to spend her Thursday night off with such frightening bores. No one spoke to her with the obvious exception of me. They spoke at her, they spoke about her, they mocked her choices and snickered in her face. It was brazen and it was cruel. I was shocked at first and shaking with anger by the end.

"So are we getting starters?" Asked one of the hard faced fuckers.

They all indicated no, except one small voice at the end of the table.

"I might."

"Aye we'll skip on the starters and get dessert instead." Came another hard rasping voice. I looked around the table to see if anyone else had heard her indicate her desire to have a starter. Maybe I was having a flashback again. Damn that acid I took in the 90's.

"I might get a soup to start." She said more hopefully than forcefully.

"Aye you would! Here, she's getting a bloody starter."

"Who?"

"Who'd y'think?"

They all started laughing, their tacky gold bracelets jangling with each raucous belly laugh. This continued for a moment until the forty a day smoking habit caught up with a few of them and they started to cough.

She didn't have the soup in the end. I took their order. They made their selection and chose to share side dishes with each other, except for her. She had to order her own. This was vicious. It continued like this for the whole meal. She was cut out of each decision wether it was the type of wine to order or what coffees to get, she was just ignored. It was like a table for eleven and a table of one, not a table of twelve.

Never in my twenty years waiting tables had I seen someone treated so badly, well not by another guest. Fuck I wanted to smack the fuckers up their snide sharp hard faces. They made a very big mistake though when they thought it would be a spiffing idea to drag me into their world of abuse.

"Here, waiter" It was the really nasty woman with the really sharp features and inch long nails. She sounded like one of the Aliens from Mars Attacks. Actually she looked like one of the aliens from Mars Attacks.

"Yes?"

"See if there's anything left over stick it in a bag for yer woman, she'll have it for supper. Actually she rather have you for supper. What you doing later?"

The table fell about laughing like the bullies they were. The screech from their thin lipped pie holes was almost unbearable. I half expected a dozen dogs to show up. She went red, I went red and then I hit back with.....

"Well to be honest madam, I'd be honoured to take her home. She's the only one of you I would."

And I walked off.

Their laughter faded a bit. Some didn't get it and some did. Fuck I was shaking with anger. I went for a smoke just before they left. I didn't want to have to wish them a pleasant evening etc.

As I cleared the table I wondered about her. I wondered why she took the abuse. I hope she was okay when she got home. I really hope she is planning to kill em all, one by one, slowly and painfully.

I hate people, most are just a waste of skin and nail varnish.