Friday, November 10, 2006 by Ospite.


I approached the table seeing a toddler, mother, and her mother. These 3-generation tables are always tough to call. Sometimes they're ornery and sometimes they're remarkably sweet. As I walked forward, I noticed the child's head inder the mother's shirt. I was approaching from a good distance, so I observed this far before they observed me.

My first thought was that this child was far too old to be breast-feeding. My second thought was that she was doing this in front of everyone. My third thought was that as they noticed me, the mother removed the child, placed her in the child seat, didn't fix her shirt, and did she not realize that her right breast was still showing, nipple and all?

I did my greet, mostly facing the grandmother, so as not to appear as though I was staring. When the mother talked I made strict eye contact. It's hard to say something in this case, because you don't want to act as though you are watching her chest. at the same time, it's mildly inappropriate for topless wome to be in the restaurant...even if subtle. By the time I had procured bread and drinks, the shirt was down a bit more except the nipple on the right side. The shirt was bunched just above it. This woman was short enough that as she leaned near the table, you'd have to be looking directly to notice it. How she didn't notice that her stomach and chest were showing is a bit of a surprise. I took the orders and walked away. I noticed Nicolai about to seat several young gentlemen directly nearby and came to the realization that I needed to say something.

Turning around, I began playing over the conversation in my head. It had been several minutes since she had stopped nursing. How do I explain the fact I let her bare breast go on so long unmentioned? How do I bring up the topic? Ma'am you're nipple is sticking out?

Just when I was ready to open my mouth, she stood up to go to the washroom. It was then that she noticed her shirt. She looked up at me with a sheepish look and several shades of red on her face. I smiled and mouthed "It's ok."

As she walked out of the bathroom on her way back to the table, she passed me, saying

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Nursing's so much of a habit, I forget to check myself afterwards."

"No worries, I don't think anyone else noticed."

Their tip ran around 30%.

9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

A couple of years ago, I was working in a restuarant that catered mainly towards business people. Very business like and sedate.

On a busy Tuesday lunchtime, a couple came in to have lunch. They were dressed pretty casually so obviously not the usual clientele.

I greeted and seated them with menus and went to go make their drinks. The woman walks over to the table that is beside the cigarette machine. She unplugs it and plugs in a strange looking device. Now, occaisonally people did plug in their mobile chargers or something, so it wasn't all that unusual.

Then she removed her shirt and began using the breast pump in a crowded restaurant...I have never seen so many high powered business men look utterly and completely gobsmacked.

What I particularly liked was that she acted like everyone was being inappropriate by pausing to look at her...she actually snapped at me to tell customers to mind their own business. I'm thinking, you're the person who just removed their shirt and exposed their breasts...

And acted like I was being a real bitch when I walked over to her and told her that there were powerpoints in the bathroom and she might be more comfortable in there...

I was also kind of intrigued that she didn't have a baby actually with her...

6:05 PM  
Blogger Thy said...

ahaa.

that's funny.

the other day i saw a woman wearing a spandex shirt
and i wondered why she was so 'lumpy' on one side till isaw the outline of a child through her tight spandex shirt.

10:16 PM  
Blogger caramaena said...

Fiona, she probably needed to pump because she didn't have the baby with her. If you're breastfeeding and miss a feed it can be very very uncomfortable, and possibly can compromise the supply (this depends on many factors though).

I cannot believe she did that in the full view of everyone though! I really wouldn't like the suggestion of pumping in a bathroom (hygiene issues - it is the babies food after all) but there is no way in the world I'd pump in public.

1:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So, Brad #1, breastfeeding moms are bitches and tramps, and pumping milk is "that shit."

Oh, but it's ok if women are bare-breasted in places where *you* feel like it's ok for them to be.

Nice.

6:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

One of my readers told me to check this post out, given I had a recent "breast" incident in my place.

Too funny!

Best, The Gal

7:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would like to clarify that my comment was just trying to share a funny story that happened at my work (rather than trying to spark a debate on public breastfeeding). I don't actually have a problem at all with women who breastfeed in public nor do I have an issue with women who need to pump - I do understand that the woman in my story may have needed to pump because of discomfort etc. What I really didn't like was her attitude which was quite aggressive and rude - which would have been a problem with or without a shirt...

10:23 PM  
Blogger Emily said...

I have a six-week-old and can just see myself forgetting to put a tit away after feeding her in public. Oops.

By the way, toddlers are not too old to breastfeed: the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until they're at least two, and the longer a child is breastfed, the better his or her immune system is likely to be.

1:47 PM  
Blogger nola said...

HA! its funny I had one of those the other day(breastfeeding mom at table) and she yelled at her elder father when he tried pulling his sweater over his head and both shirts came up so u could see his chest. She says(baby attached to tit mind you)Dad, Your going to make people lose their appetite looking at that.

4:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Brad #1:
First, your first sentence pretty much makes my point for me.

Second, you wrote:
"(Hehe, I'm typing this from work, after hours, and the musak is still playing. The song happens to be, "That lady is a tramp". How appropriate!)"

Then, when called on it, you wrote:
"Oh, and I never once mentioned the word tramp, so I'd like it if you didn't put words into my mouth."

And FWIW, until you're pumping milk out of your own breasts, you have nothing to say about whether or not it is a woman's right. It's a gal thing. Sorry.

Fiona: Yes, I agree that her attitude was inappropriate, and I don't necessarily champion restaurant nudity for the sake of pumping (which, for those who aren't aware, cannot be done easily (for most people) in a public restroom - nor can the task be put off).

9:31 PM  

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I am not in the restaurant business, I am in the people business. I use every opportunity to people watch, because to me, even the most mundane is fascinating.

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