Everything Seemed Fine Until the Bill Arrived
The evening had started well enough. We were sitting together, sharing food, talking about our lives, and enjoying the kind of family gathering that doesn’t happen as often as everyone would like.
There were several people in our group, and the conversation moved naturally from one subject to another. Some people were catching up on family news, while others were laughing about things that had happened during the week.
The restaurant staff had served us without any major problems. Our orders were correct, the food arrived as expected, and nobody at the table had raised a complaint about the service.
Of course, the waiter hadn’t done anything extraordinary either. He had taken our orders, brought our meals, and attended to the table as part of his job. We appreciated that, just as we would appreciate good service anywhere else.
When the meal was over, we asked for the bill.
The total came to $585.
We divided the amount among the people who were paying, sorted everything out, and added a $60 tip. There was no lengthy discussion about it. Nobody wanted to make a scene or leave the restaurant arguing about money.
