Okay, I confess, I'm guilty.

Okay, I confess, I’m guilty of being a people watcher.

Everyday, I eat in a small diner near my home. I’m always excited when I can get the corner booth because it allows me to observe everyone without being so obvious. So today, we have: …………

In booth one: There is a couple in their late fifties. She followed 10 steps behind him and did not sit until after he was settled. The entire time they were there they never spoke except to order, then he ordered first and she simply said “I’ll have the same”. During the entire time he kept his head bowed and looked at the table or the floor and she kept scanning the ceiling and any place above his head. They never once made eye contact. He ate less then half of his dinner then tossed the napkin into the plate followed by the flatware. A second later she did the same and pushed her half eaten plate off to the side. She put the strap of her handbag on her shoulder and waited, the moment he picked up the check she stood and went and waited by the door.

In booth two: There is an elderly couple (possibly mid seventies) and they sit on the same side of the booth. He has had a stroke and his right arm in paralyzed and crooked so he sits on the outside of the booth. They chatter constantly and he keeps patting her arm or holding her hand. When the food comes she reaches over and cuts his meat and each time he raised his fork to eat his elbow jabs her in the side but, she seems not to notice. When they go to leave he extends his good arm to help steady her and they walk out arm in arm.

In booth three: There is a couple, she is about 30 and is 4’10” high and weighs about 350 lbs. She orders the dinner plate special consisting of an entrée with baked potato, vegetable, and texas toast. Then she also orders a second vegetable, a side of coleslaw, a side of cottage cheese, a side of pineapple chucks. He is mid fifties and 6’ 3” and weights about 150 lbs. He also orders the dinner special. When the food arrives he places his texas toast on her plate, cuts his potato in half and places half of it on her plate along with his sour cream. He is finished eating in less then 5 min. and he sits and watches her eat for the next half hour. They have light conversation until the food arrives then neither speaks until she has finished eating. She eats one item at a time and as she empties each dish he takes it an adds it to the stake in front of him. Once she is finished eating he signals the server to come take the dishes and orders 2 glasses of ice tea and they then sit and have an animated conversation for quite some time.

So what conclusions do you draw about each couple from the above descriptions?

All appearances would say the couple in booth one were having a spat. Not so. I have watched them many times and it is always the same. Last week, last month, last year, it is always the same. What does this say about their relationship? They have only been married about 10 years.

All appearances would say the couple in booth two had been happily married for 50 plus years and were the ideal that each of us strive to emulate. Again, not so. They are actually a brother and a sister and neither of them have ever been married. She lived with their parents until the father died last year, then he moved back into the family home to keep her from being there all alone.

Now the couple in booth three happen to be newlyweds. They were married less then six months ago. He is a hog farmer and she is the manager of the local DMV. They met at a church dinner and he was attracted to her because he likes a gal with a health appetite.