First in an occasional series

Last summer I worked as a waiter at an IHOP here in Greenville, and last week I started back again. As a waiter, I observe lots of people and usually come away each night with a few stories. Were I giving advice to an aspiring novelist, I would suggest that he do a stint as a waiter to learn about characterization. Samuel Eliot Morison gives similar advice to aspiring historians.

Lest I forget my observations of the human condition, I intend to record them here. Thus, I am beginning an occasional series titled “What the Waiter Sees.” I hope you will gain some amusement and perhaps some insight from these anecdotes about nights spent waiting tables.