If a thing only happens to you once, but it drives you crazy the one time it happens, can it still be considered a pet peeve? Let's say "yes" as I'm sure it would annoy me everytime if it happens in the future.
So, a few days ago, my husband and I went to a reasonably nice restaurant in a nearby city as a special treat to ourselves. The restaurant was beautiful. We were sitting on a scenic outdoor patio; one of many. The food was good and it was only 4:30 in the afternoon, so it was not overly crowded. All of the elements of a lovely afternoon date were blending together over our pleasant meal.
About 15 minutes after we were seated, a group of four was seated at a nearby table. They seemed to be having a pleasant time as well, however, one of the gentlemen kept receiving phone calls on his cell. In what I assume was an effort not to be rude to his dinner guests, the man kept excusing himself from the table and his guests and walking away to take his calls. This must have been nice for his table and would have all been fine and dandy if every time he walked away, he didn't walk directly over to our table and stand only a foot away from me for the duration of his call!
This happened several times. How oblivious could he be? What is the point in having manners when they are executed so poorly?!? We were sitting in the corner of the patio. Right behind our table (and the chatty gentleman) were 5 stairs leading up to a landing from which several more stairs led up to another deck. There was no seating on the landing. Why not complete the socially appropriate gesture and walk up the 5 steps so that his call would not be interrupting anyone's meal. It may be just me, but it seems far more rude to disrupt a stranger's dinner than it does to disrupt your own friend or families meal.
This oblivious disregard for manners during our otherwise lovely meal was really annoying!
