Glass Booths

Went out to dinner with a good friend the other night.

As we’ve done for the last 25 years or so, we grabbed seats at the bar.

It was a tad weird.

There are glass booths set up.

Two person booths and one person booths.

We were seated in the two-person booth, but just outside our booth was a guy in the one person setup.

His experience looked weird to me.

Like he was drinking beer in a prison cell.

We actually talked with him. Had to speak up a little so he could hear us through the glass.

I had a couple of lemonades and the mile high meatloaf that the menu says, can’t be finished.

I finished it.

And sort of like the netting in front of you at a hockey game, we quickly got used to the glass booths.

The televisions were set to golf and college hoops. The bartender was still smiling, but she had a mask on the entire time.

A new reality, I suppose.

And when dinner was done, I kind of felt all right with the whole experience.

“Do you know that I haven’t been in a restaurant for more than a year?” Kathy asked.

Counting the other night, I’ve probably sat in a restaurant about 5 times.

We’ve ordered in a lot.

The place was busy.

Plates of food being passed out.

Men sitting over their drinks.

A little bit of normal.

Slowly.

We’re getting there.

Everyone gets a glass booth almost a year later.

Pure craziness.