Rude, Rude, Rude!

Location: On the Road

For lunch we stopped at a typical Chinese buffet named Jumbo Buffet (20 Charlestown Plaza, Charlestown, WV). As we walked in the door, the hostess, who was on a cell phone, held up two fingers asking if we needed a table for two. We nodded, "Yes."

So far, so good. But then instead of doing what any good employee would do -- asking us to wait a moment if the call was business or asking the caller to wait if it was personal -- she picked up menus and silverware, kept the phone to her ear, and proceeded to show us to a table while yakking in Chinese the entire way.

She started to steer us towards a window booth, but they were all filled. So she had to reroute to a table because she wasn't paying attention -- at least, she wasn't paying attention to her job. She changed course and kept chatting. She got us to a table, and pointed to it -- still talking to her ostensibly More Important Person. She then held the phone on her shoulder with her chin, mouthpiece still open, and asked us for drink orders.

At this point John lost it. He said, "No. That's just rude. Not while you're on the phone." She looked surprised, and then proved she needs to practice her English sentence structures a bit more by saying, "there's nothing on my phone." so John clarified by saying, "I'M NOT IN YOUR PHONE." Suddenly, a very pleasant and capable waiter appeared and smoothly took over the rapidly disintegrating situation.

Since she doubled as the cashier, she had the perfect opportunity to apologize for her behavior when we paid the bill. Did she apologize? Of course not. Did she even know how rude she had been? Doubtful. She showed no sign of embarrassment or remorse -- actually, she didn't even show any sign she recognized us. She just looked bored and asked the question she has asked so many times she no longer cares if she gets an answer -- "Was everything all right?"