It’s Mother’s Day and you know you have to do something special (whether you want to or not). Since all Mothers  like to eat, it’s a fair bet that taking her to dinner is always a good thing. And, since Mom usually does all the cooking – and she has been doing that since we were born – it’s probably a good idea to take her someplace that she normally wouldn’t go because of expense or distance. Depending upon where you live, there may be many, or few, places from which to choose. But the decision making doesn’t end with just deciding to go to dinner. Since we know Mom quite well, we ought to know her likes and dislikes. Believe it or not, some people like loud restaurants that are crowded with people taking their mothers out for dinner. You can usually tell which patron is the mother at any given table. She’ll be the one with the flower on her dress and the big smile on her face. Other people like quiet places that are not crowded and that tend to be cozy. Overall, most people would prefer a restaurant where they can get a table within a few minutes instead of having to wait more than an hour just to sit down. I have to question the sanity of anyone thinking that a particular restaurant is so good that waiting an hour, or more, to get a table is worth the wait. With the exception of a few locations in the country, where food and its preparation are considered cuisine instead of "belly stuffing", one restaurant’s fare is no different from any other restaurant’s fare. They even get their supplies from the same sources. The only difference between such eating establishments is the cook (chefs are generally unknown in large segments of the country) and the waitresses. And the prices!

So it was this past weekend when we went out to dinner at a popular restaurant known for its Italian food. Upon arriving, we were obliged to push our way through a throng of potential diners that blocked the entrance. That accomplished, we were now faced with the door greeter and his reservation desk. We were given a hockey puck that would sound an alarm when a table was ready and then we were told that the waiting time would be about forty-five minutes or so. (That, in restaurant speak, means that the wait would be in excess of an hour – or more.) Since we were waiting for the guest or honor to arrive, we elected to survey another restaurant about a block away. One of our number stood guard with the hockey puck just in case it started to beep while I walked the distance to ascertain the condition of crowding at the next location.

I was elated to find the second location uncrowded and open for business. I went back to collect all of our party, including the guest of honor who had arrived in the interim, and all of us converged on the second restaurant quickly, before others of the waiting throng discovered our good fortune and would compete with us for a table. The waitress was wonderful, prompt, and cheerful; the food was tasty and healthy. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience at this second location, and the price was reasonable. We ate, drank, and we were merry. No hockey puck. We had to walk back to the first restaurant because we had left the car parked where we first found a parking spot. Out of curiosity, we entered the first restaurant again to see if our hockey puck was activated. I recognized several of the people still waiting for their hockey pucks to activate. We relieved ourselves at this restaurant and left. It was only Saturday, the day before Mother’s Day.