Table for One

Dining out is a notoriously communal event, especially for women, because, well, women are the communicating sex. There is no better time than when we are filling our bellies with delicious food to relish in gossip. I would love to be like most women my age and go out to lunch with colleagues at work, but my tiny office has only two other full-time staff and they are both men--men who don't take lunch breaks. So, I've never really had the pleasure of trying all of the wonderful restaurants near my workplace.

Today, taking full advantage of my lunch hour, I ate at a REAL restaurant, alone. I can safely say that I've eaten by myself out in public and had no qualm with it, but it has always been fast food. Today was special because I sat down a table set with dining ware, was approached by a waiter in a white button up shirt, and looked through a hand-held menu. After ordering, I sat there--no magazine, no book, no phone.

My single-girl spread; Indian Food!

It wasn't scary to walk in or out alone, people drive independently to restaurants all the time, but sitting alone was definitely intimidating. I definitely got a quizzical look from the host when I responded "Just one" to the question of how many in my party, and received some looks from passers-by, but overall, it was a positive experience. I liked eating alone. I'd do it again, too. But if next time I'm hungry for lunch and someone wants to take me up on an outing, I'm definitely down for some communal gossip.