Please Hand Me That Knife......

.....so I can stab my eardrums out.

I've had two unpleasant restaurant experiences within the last five days. At two different restaurants in the same chain.

I don't want to embarrass anyone by mentioning the restaurant chain by name, but it begins with an "Apple" and ends with a "bees."

Last Friday when Katydid, Rozmo, and I were on the BIKE RIDE FROM HELL ONLY IT WASN'T NEARLY THAT WARM, we had lunch at that particular restaurant because it was on the way BACK. We did not want to venture even one pedal stroke farther than we had to, and this restaurant was right on the route.

It was nice to get inside out of the cold and wind, and we chatted while we waited for our lunch to arrive. I was vaguely aware of some music playing in the background. But then the music changed, and all conversation in the restaurant ground to a halt. You could see people all over the restaurant frowning and looking at one another. The music had gotten so loud (and the music was so obnoxious ....... so ........ not the kind of music I listen to) that it was very hard to hear the person across the table.

I made eye contact with a manager-type-looking person, and she came over to see if "everything was all right." I wasn't mean, but I said (almost apologetically, in fact), "That music is kind of loud."

She said something about it being a jukebox (did I venture into a honky tonk without realizing it?) and the girl choosing the "music" was standing right in front of it, so she couldn't turn the volume down until the girl moved.

The girl didn't move until she had chosen another GAZILLION songs that sounded just like the first one. And they never DID turn the music down. It was without a doubt one of the most unpleasant eating experiences I have ever had. At least in recent memory, which I will readily admit doesn't go back terribly far.

Fast forward to tonight, when Hubby and I ate at a different restaurant in that same chain. (He wanted to go shopping, and I bought some jeans ... JEANS!!!!! ... in a size I haven't seen in a while. Oh happy day.) There wasn't a jukebox, but the music was ..... so ...... not the kind of music we listen to ..... that it was painful. Do you realize how hard it is to eat three cheese chicken penne pasta while holding your hands over your ears? Try it sometime. It's virtually impossible. And I wasn't holding my hands over my ears for dramatic effect. I was literally trying to get some relief from that screaming music.

Maybe it's just another sign I'm getting old.