Wednesday's Whine of the Week...

Let's cut to the chase- Televisions in restaurants.  Bugs the snot out of me. 

I'm wondering how this came to be such a common place thing.  'Cause that's what I do: I wonder about things.  Did someone say, "Wow!  I just don't think that we have enough noise and distractions in our lives.  I know!  Let's put 5 TVs in every restaurant! Brilliant!" 

And I hate to sound sexist, but you know it was a man.  It's every woman's worst nightmare.  Sitting across from her guy but his eyes are glazed over and he's looking straight through her. He can't help himself...must watch TV...must watch TV... to which I can only say with the utmost vigor- Walk away from the TV!!!  For cryin' out loud!  We women like to socialize- that's why we're going out to lunch.  Guys probably think we're hungry.  Eyes rolling. We talk, we visit, we share. I don't need the TV blaring in competition.  And what about those restaurants that mute their TVs?  Worse!  'Cause now the guy has to read the subtitles which takes even more of his attention away from what's important- it's all about me, ya know. 

And are TVs in restaurants such a great pull for business?  Still wondering about things.  What, do people actually say, "Hey, let's do lunch.  How about Joe Shmoe's?  Nah, they don't have a TV."  Are you kidding me?

Could the restaurant managers be concerned that their employees might get bored during slow times?  Just wondering.  I can't imagine.  And as you can probably tell, I can imagine alot.  Maybe they have the wrong personnel if they can't find something to do.   

OK, maybe they're catering to the lonely diner. Hey, if I want that amazing garlic jalepeno tilapia with angel hair pasta in a lemon butter sauce(Johnny Corinno's) I'm not going to skip out just because I'll have to dine alone. I think that most people that are confident enough to eat alone don't need the crutch of looking like they're not alone because they're watching TV.  I'm thinking that nobody's fooled.  And, trust me, between the other diners and the waiters, there's plenty to entertain even if you're sitting by yourself.

I must say that there was one TV in a public place that I did think was a great idea.  Truly inspired.  The waiting room in an ER.  How cool was that?  And they even had the imagination to turn the channel away from sports and the latest breaking news about some grasshopper who saved a small child from certain death- you think I'm making this stuff up?  OK, I am, but you know there's probably just such an inane story out there.  They had comedy movies running.  I never saw so many smiling faces in the ER.  Let's face it, no one is sitting in that waiting room for social reasons.  You don't want to talk.  You just want the time to go by faster.  You actually want to be distracted.  Mission accomplished.  Amen and great job.

But leave the TV's out of the restaurants!

Alien invasion brought to you by Abe.