Throwing Chairs

As the weather warms, eating outside becomes increasingly fashionable.  Sitting on a terrace with your favorite beverage and enjoying some company is a fine way to relax.


Since this is such a fine way to relax, many people get the same idea.  This communality of thinking creates what economic circles would refer to as an increase in demand.


In many areas seating space is limited.  Thus, you are sitting close to strangers.  The arrangement is for maximizing profits.  Wasted space is a lost opportunity when demand is high.


So sometimes servers get picky about you moving.


My friend and I sit down on a busy terrace.  The people next to us leave and are replaced almost immediately by two other people we know equally as well.  They notice that the table wobbles.  Wobbling is bad for keeping liquid in a glass.


The people next to them leave.  Instead of these patrons being replaced, the one’s with the wobble move over to the less wobbly table.


This will not do.


There is a group of six ready and waiting for terrace seating.  The server comes to the renegades and demands of them to return to their original accommodation to make space.  The renegades demonstrate the mighty wobble and ask to sit where they are or for a new table.


Normal client/server interaction dictates that the server helps the customer with reasonable requests.  You sell drinks, you sell a place to sit outside and enjoy the drinks.  The customer generally admires the ability to keep the drink in the glass.


However, this is France.  You must realize that servers have a job to do, and that job is not necessarily serving the customer.  There are rules here and you must follow them or you will be punished.


One chair, two chairs (ah ah ah) thrown to the ground, table swapped, server pouts, chairs dashed back into place, server pouts, voila, sit now.


Please.


Of course the problem is the combination of a one-legged table and uneven ground.  The customers next to us finish their drinks and depart.


Bienvenue Paris.