In big cities, space comes at a premium. Tables in restaurants tend to be arranged in close proximity. There may have been eight or ten inches of space between my table and the table where the two ladies were now seated, but not more.
One of the ladies called the hostess back over to their table and asked to be reseated. She claimed that she was allergic to peanuts. On my table, a big, steaming bowl of Pad Thai had just arrived, covered in crushed peanuts. I understood why the lady wanted to move, and I sympathized with her concerns.
The hostess walked the ladies around the dining room, but everywhere they looked, they saw peanuts. Peanuts are used heavily in Thai dishes. Eventually, they returned to their original table just inches away from mine.
No one was sitting at the table to my left, so I offered to the hostess that I could move if the lady was concerned about being close to my peanuts. I moved voluntarily. It was no big deal, as I was dining alone.
The lady thanked me profusely and said that she felt embarrassed. I urged her not to worry about it. I explained that I, too, have dietary restrictions, and that I respected her concerns. The staff thanked me as well. I told them that it was no bother. It was the right thing to do.
More people occupied that table shortly thereafter. Hopefully, they didn’t order a dish with peanuts.
Copyright © 2018 Daniel R. South
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