Thursday, November 9, 2006

Drama At Hometown Buffet

After seeing the TV commercials for "steakhouse classics" at Hometown Buffet for the past couple of weeks, I had a hankering to go.  So the 'rents and I made dinner plans for this evening.  We arrived there shortly after 5:00, and started to enjoy our supper.  The steak was very tender, and the 'rents both had seconds on the country fried steak.  And I will go out on a limb and say their hashbrown casserole was almost as good as Diva Stacy's.  All in all, it was a pleasant meal.  That is, until the drama started.

Three members of the Louisville Metro Police Department's SWAT unit were dining at our Hometown Buffet this evening.  I think they simply decided to stop there for supper on their way back from the big standoff that about five minutes away. (The SWAT team had been there since about 11:00 this morning.)  Anyhoo, the SWAT guys were there enjoying their steakhouse classics just like we were.  Our table was close to the front of the restaurant, and the SWAT guys were one row over from our table. The 'rents' backs were to the cash register, but I had a very clear view of everyone coming into the restaurant.  I was busy eating my onion petals when out of my periphreal vision I saw a guy at the cash register that resembled a thin Grizzley Adams. He had long hair and a long beard, and was smoking a cigarette while carrying two unopened packs, and he also had a pack in his shirt pocket.  He had to be from out of town, because evidently he was unaware that he couldn't smoke in the restaurant.  I heard the cashier tell him the place was non-smoking and that he would have to throw away the cigarette.  Well he also must have been hard of hearing, because he just walked right on through and started to get his salad, all the while puffing away on the cigarette.  The cashier left the cash register and walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder and told him nicely that he would have to put out the cigarette.  It didn't do any good; he ignored her and kept on smoking.  The cashier went to get the manager, but before she could get back Louisville's Finest took care of the situation.  Two of the SWAT guys got up from their table and walked up to the smoker.  They weren't talking as loud as the cashier was, and I'm not very good at reading lips, but I think I can safely assume they asked the guy to get rid of the cigarette, because the guy stepped outside and then came back in sans the cigarette.  You know you can always count on drama to happen when I'm around.  I must be a drama magnet.  But it sure makes for interesting journal entries.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I feel sorry for the low paid restaurant workers who have to deal with these idiots.  Sounds like this guy was trying to see how far he could push.  Probably happens more than we know and I'm guessing the cops aren't there most of the time to handle it.  Too bad on that one.  I'd like to see a SWAT team jump out of the closet every time and take someone like this down.  Wish I had a set of them in my office too!  Good job guys!