two plates and a knife

There is a type of customer out there who drives me nuts.

They are a pair of women, over 65. They are smart casual dressed, in well pressed pant suit. You do know what I mean. Uptight doesn't even begin to describe them.

They come in and proceed to order. One coffee each, and one sweet item to share. Two plates and a knife please. And they sit and sit and sit with their purchase of under $10 between them.

They will complain about the service. The waiters can spot them a mile away and they know these low spend table sitters do not tip, so they won't bother with them.

What makes me nuts is why can't they just buy something each to share. Then you can taste two freshly baked goodies. You came out anyway. What's the point of a coming all this way for coffee and half a bun?

I know that being a food person means that I want to eat. I am interested in how food tastes, what tastes good, where I can get it and who makes it. I eat without concern for cholesterol, vitamin content, weight gain or guilt. I know other people do not do this. They go through life on a quest for fibre and fish oils, grappling with their desires, struggling to suppress the urge for mud cake and croissant.

Until they're 65 and sitting in a cafe on a decaf soy latte, trying to saw a monte carlo in half. What a shame.