I’d already clocked out for my shift but was approached by an old black lady (in her 70s??) with two walking sticks and a little boy (of six?) standing a few feet away, asking, “Is there a free table?”
Self-service is in place for a lot of things at my pub (finding a table, fetching the condiments), but I almost never say no to a customer who asks, unless I was desperately trying to deliver a dozen dishes and there was a long queue of other dishes waiting to go out. And certainly not to an old lady with two walking sticks. As I’d already clocked out, I suggested, “Maybe you can look around and see if there’s one somewhere.” She pointed her chin at her walking sticks and said, “How can I with these? The others are parking the car.” I asked, “How many people are you?” She said, “Four.” I spotted two single tables on The Stage (the section three steps up from the main area) and said, “There’re two tables there; you’re welcome to put them together.” She said, “But there are no chairs.” At which point, I decided to pitch in and help her, never mind the fact that I was already off-duty.
I marched up to The Stage, pulled the two tables together, asked her to stand by them so that no one else could come along and take them, while I went in search of some chairs.
I thought I’d involve the boy, partly to give him something to do, and partly to train him to take an active part in things, not just hang around and let the grown-ups do everything for him — yes, a teacher is never off-duty! Presenting it as a game, I said, “Come and help me track some chairs down.” When we found one, I dragged it along the carpet on its hind legs until I got to the steps, then asked the boy to help me lift the chair up the three steps, saying, “Be very careful, slowly now,” counting aloud, “One, two, three” as we carried the chair up the steps. Placed the chair down, said to the boy, “Right, that’s Chair Number One done — that’s for Grandma. Three more to find. Let’s go!”
I repeated the whole process for the next two chairs, then said to the boy, “Now, the last one is for you.” This was, again, to let him know that being the youngest, he comes last, and that all the previous work was done for his elders before he could start thinking about himself. I said, “Since this one is for you, you can choose the colour, the shape, and the size!” Our movable seating comes in three different forms: round stools, normal height chairs, high chairs (see blog What pub customers say: 1), all — excepting the round stools — upholstered in different fabric in different patterns, some with wooden seats and backs.
I pointed at a low, round stool, because it was his height and size, but his eyes were on the high chairs lining the wall, “I want one of those!” I said, “Are you sure!? You’ll be way above the table and way above the rest of the group!” He nodded in excited anticipation — I then realised that it was precisely the novelty of it that was the attraction for him.
By the time we carted one of the high chairs to his table on The Stage, the rest of the group (a couple, presumably his parents) had arrived, so I said to them, “He wants to look down on the grown-ups!” which made them laugh. We put the high chair at the head of the table and he clambered on excitedly. I thanked him for his help, and asked for his name. He said, “Hunt.” I said, “Wow, so I found the right person to help me track down some chairs! You’re a chair HUNT-er!” He looked so chuffed.
On my way out of the building, I stopped by to check that everything was all right, then asked the boy, “Are you still happy with your throne chair, Your Majesty?”, bowing deeply. He beamed from ear to ear. Everyone laughed.
I marched up to The Stage, pulled the two tables together, asked her to stand by them so that no one else could come along and take them, while I went in search of some chairs.
I thought I’d involve the boy, partly to give him something to do, and partly to train him to take an active part in things, not just hang around and let the grown-ups do everything for him — yes, a teacher is never off-duty! Presenting it as a game, I said, “Come and help me track some chairs down.” When we found one, I dragged it along the carpet on its hind legs until I got to the steps, then asked the boy to help me lift the chair up the three steps, saying, “Be very careful, slowly now,” counting aloud, “One, two, three” as we carried the chair up the steps. Placed the chair down, said to the boy, “Right, that’s Chair Number One done — that’s for Grandma. Three more to find. Let’s go!”
I repeated the whole process for the next two chairs, then said to the boy, “Now, the last one is for you.” This was, again, to let him know that being the youngest, he comes last, and that all the previous work was done for his elders before he could start thinking about himself. I said, “Since this one is for you, you can choose the colour, the shape, and the size!” Our movable seating comes in three different forms: round stools, normal height chairs, high chairs (see blog What pub customers say: 1), all — excepting the round stools — upholstered in different fabric in different patterns, some with wooden seats and backs.
I pointed at a low, round stool, because it was his height and size, but his eyes were on the high chairs lining the wall, “I want one of those!” I said, “Are you sure!? You’ll be way above the table and way above the rest of the group!” He nodded in excited anticipation — I then realised that it was precisely the novelty of it that was the attraction for him.
By the time we carted one of the high chairs to his table on The Stage, the rest of the group (a couple, presumably his parents) had arrived, so I said to them, “He wants to look down on the grown-ups!” which made them laugh. We put the high chair at the head of the table and he clambered on excitedly. I thanked him for his help, and asked for his name. He said, “Hunt.” I said, “Wow, so I found the right person to help me track down some chairs! You’re a chair HUNT-er!” He looked so chuffed.
On my way out of the building, I stopped by to check that everything was all right, then asked the boy, “Are you still happy with your throne chair, Your Majesty?”, bowing deeply. He beamed from ear to ear. Everyone laughed.
(London, 2019)
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