I think the hostess is merely trying to make the best of a bad situation: using honesty coated with a veneer of cheerfulness to sell an inferior product. Her truthfulness is merely intended to prevent any subsequent reclamations.
P.S. During our summer vacation we sat at one “air vent” table that was sub-optimal, but still tolerable, and at another (breakfast) restaurant we were initially offered a table right under a ceiling fan, which we were able to decline.
Didn’t you mainlanders just go through the hottest summer on record.? While I agree that, generally, sitting under a vent is undesirable, I can remember times (usually while on vacation) when that was exactly what we were hoping for. Granted, That was back when one went to the movies as much for the A/C as the movie.
It’s a service job. She’s expected to keep a warm and engaging demeanor at all times, no matter who she is dealing with or how they treat her. The smile is mandatory. But she can still seat them under the AC vent.
Or this is the way it always seems to be in good restaurants. The best table has the worst environment.
Alternatively, the woman asked for the cool table because of the change she is going through… But the facial expression doesn’t match.
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Customer Service Voice, man. It’s an unbreakable mask.
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I think the hostess is merely trying to make the best of a bad situation: using honesty coated with a veneer of cheerfulness to sell an inferior product. Her truthfulness is merely intended to prevent any subsequent reclamations.
P.S. During our summer vacation we sat at one “air vent” table that was sub-optimal, but still tolerable, and at another (breakfast) restaurant we were initially offered a table right under a ceiling fan, which we were able to decline.
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I just took this as a typical New Yorker Magazine-ish slight-smile-of-familiarity comic, no more CIDU than most of the NYM stuff.
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“Would you like a nice table near the front window, with a good view?” meaning, in January, that you will freeze every time another customer comes in.
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Didn’t you mainlanders just go through the hottest summer on record.? While I agree that, generally, sitting under a vent is undesirable, I can remember times (usually while on vacation) when that was exactly what we were hoping for. Granted, That was back when one went to the movies as much for the A/C as the movie.
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It’s a service job. She’s expected to keep a warm and engaging demeanor at all times, no matter who she is dealing with or how they treat her. The smile is mandatory. But she can still seat them under the AC vent.
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She’s wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door.
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At first I thought it was one of those comics that use borrowed stock imagery.
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Of course, if one’s mind works oddly (like mine) –
The couple have been complaining about how hot it is outside and she is just being nice.
(Yeah, I know that is not it, but it did pop into my head.)
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