Can you imagine?
Aug. 3rd, 2009 01:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mbarkerA short sketch... hope you enjoy it. According to a recent Japanese TV show about service workers faced with strange
customer requests, this was an actual story. The setting, characters, and flaws in the story are mine, though.
Can you imagine?
By Mike Barker (430 Words)
Jim handed the man and his date two menus, already opened to the dessert sections. Jim smiled at the customers, sure that he would get a big tip. He glanced at the white tablecloth, checking that he had picked up all the plates from the meal and straightened the tablecloth. The silver candlesticks shone under the lit beeswax candles, and the small arrangement of flowers added just a touch of scent. It was obvious that the man, a little pudgy and perspiring in his suit, was working hard to impress his date. Jim didn't mind helping.
"And what would madame and monsieur like for after dinner? Dessert?"
The man waved grandly at his date, who looked down at the menu, smiled, and said, "I'd like the sherbet, if that's all right?"
"Sure, honey. Anything you want."
Jim scribbled it on his order pad. "And for you, sir?"
The man frowned as he looked at the menu. "Do you have coffee?"
Jim pointed at the other side of the open menu. "We have espresso."
The man closed his menu. "I'll take one of those."
Jim picked up the menus and went into the kitchen. The sherbet was already prepared, but it did take a few minutes to make fresh espresso. He set the sherbet on his tray with a napkin and spoon, and the tiny espresso cup. He thought about it, then picked up sugar, cream, and a small spoon.
He carried it all out, and carefully set the sherbet in front of the woman, along with the napkin and spoon. Then he arranged the espresso serving in front of the man. He flipped his tray up in his hand, nodded, and said, "Will that be all for you?"
The man's face tightened. He glared at the cup. Then he raised his eyes and stared at Jim. "What is this? I want a full cup! Did I ask you for a children's size?"
Jim licked his lips. What? "Uh, that's the normal espresso cup. That's the way it comes."
The woman put her hand on the man's arm. "Really, that's espresso."
The man sat back. He drummed his fingers on the table, and summoned a smile for her. Then he looked at Jim. "Oh, I see. I ordered espresso. That's S for small, of course. I always forget that. I should have asked for an L-presso, right? So could you bring me an L-presso instead?"
The woman giggled. Jim bit his lip, then forced himself to say, "Of course, sir. I'll bring that in a minute."
He managed to get into the kitchen before he started laughing.
The End
customer requests, this was an actual story. The setting, characters, and flaws in the story are mine, though.
Can you imagine?
By Mike Barker (430 Words)
Jim handed the man and his date two menus, already opened to the dessert sections. Jim smiled at the customers, sure that he would get a big tip. He glanced at the white tablecloth, checking that he had picked up all the plates from the meal and straightened the tablecloth. The silver candlesticks shone under the lit beeswax candles, and the small arrangement of flowers added just a touch of scent. It was obvious that the man, a little pudgy and perspiring in his suit, was working hard to impress his date. Jim didn't mind helping.
"And what would madame and monsieur like for after dinner? Dessert?"
The man waved grandly at his date, who looked down at the menu, smiled, and said, "I'd like the sherbet, if that's all right?"
"Sure, honey. Anything you want."
Jim scribbled it on his order pad. "And for you, sir?"
The man frowned as he looked at the menu. "Do you have coffee?"
Jim pointed at the other side of the open menu. "We have espresso."
The man closed his menu. "I'll take one of those."
Jim picked up the menus and went into the kitchen. The sherbet was already prepared, but it did take a few minutes to make fresh espresso. He set the sherbet on his tray with a napkin and spoon, and the tiny espresso cup. He thought about it, then picked up sugar, cream, and a small spoon.
He carried it all out, and carefully set the sherbet in front of the woman, along with the napkin and spoon. Then he arranged the espresso serving in front of the man. He flipped his tray up in his hand, nodded, and said, "Will that be all for you?"
The man's face tightened. He glared at the cup. Then he raised his eyes and stared at Jim. "What is this? I want a full cup! Did I ask you for a children's size?"
Jim licked his lips. What? "Uh, that's the normal espresso cup. That's the way it comes."
The woman put her hand on the man's arm. "Really, that's espresso."
The man sat back. He drummed his fingers on the table, and summoned a smile for her. Then he looked at Jim. "Oh, I see. I ordered espresso. That's S for small, of course. I always forget that. I should have asked for an L-presso, right? So could you bring me an L-presso instead?"
The woman giggled. Jim bit his lip, then forced himself to say, "Of course, sir. I'll bring that in a minute."
He managed to get into the kitchen before he started laughing.
The End
