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The Chaos of David's Eating House |
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David's Eating House is always teeming with customers from the late afternoons
right up until midnight. Approaching the restaurant, you'll see a horde of
people standing around tables that are already packed with hungry patrons busily
gobbling down their food. These people will be on high alert for any table that
looks likely to be vacated. Once there is even a hint that a table is being
emptied, you'll see them descend upon it like vultures. The winner will stand
triumphantly at the table, waving over their relatives or friends, while the
losers will curse silently under their breath.
But finding a place to sit is only the beginning of the wait. Next, you have to
catch the attention of the busy waiters, who are constantly rushing about
attending to customers. You'll usually hear them shouting the words "hot water"
as they pass by, even if they aren't carrying any. This is their ingenious way
of clearing a path. Amid trying to flag down a waiter and perusing the menu,
customers can be heard grumbling about the slow service. But strangely, they
fall silent abruptly whenever a waiter appears.
When the waiter comes to take your order, they are brusque and impatient. It's
best for customers to plan their orders in advance instead of bombarding them
with too many questions. At times, the waiters may just walk away from
indecisive customers, leaving them to work hard at getting attention again.
Usually, the orders are shouted out loudly and quickly, as the waiters convey
them to the cooks who are located deep in the kitchen and out of sight. But such
shouting certainly adds to the atmosphere of the place, as it is a bustling
eating spot!
Whenever the crowd gets too thick, the waiters will resort to asking customers
to share their tables with those standing, so that the eating house doesn't
become so congested that it's impossible to navigate. When tables are shared by
two different groups of people, the noise becomes incredibly deafening. Amidst
the clanging of plates and loud chatter, you need to shout to be heard. This
becomes extremely unpleasant as dinner turns into an incredibly chaotic and
tense affair.
Only as the hands of the clock approach midnight does the crowd begin to thin
and the noise dies down. The flustered waiters can finally sit down for a chat
or puff on their cigarettes. The activity at the eating place winds down, ready
to recuperate before the next day of madness arrives. |
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