Yesterday evening after our dance coaching session, Agnes and I decided to stop at a local restaurant for dinner. One of the things I've long noticed about restaurants (as opposed to more pedestrian eateries like diners, greasy spoons, hamburger joints, etc) is that the lighting is always set very low. This is ostensibly to provide "atmosphere," but I suspect other possible motives:
1. They're attempting to recreate the romantic surroundings of the deepest level of a Chinese coal mine at midnight;
2. The entire wait staff is ugly and their employment contracts specify low lighting to prevent embarassment;
3. The printer made lots of mistakes on the menus and the management wants the lights low enough that you won't be able to see the typos; or
4. The prices are so high that the standard restaurant dodges of spelling out the prices to discourage reading ("twenty-five dollars and ninety-five cents") or simply putting down small, apologetic numbers ("50" instead of "$50.00) aren't considered enough, and they keep the lights low so you won't get your sticker shock until the bill arrives.
Whatever.
I'm getting a little older and my eyes aren't what they used to be, so I always appreciate a little more light. It improves my aim when I'm reduced to biting the waitress's arm when we've waited too long for the entree.
Which reminds me...it's time for breakfast.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
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