Ergo, the Ogre

Today’s prompt at The Daily Post is Second Thoughts.

**

This happened today.

I was sitting at the counter because there were no tables available. It’s not my favorite thing, sitting with my back to the world, but the restaurant was packed. Luckily, it appeared to be a relatively harmless crowd—office workers on their lunch break, retirees, and such.

However, that was neither here nor there. Bigger issues were afoot.

So, I ordered lunch and started sipping on my Diet Coke when  A portly gentleman walked in and sat on he stool right next to me. I mean, right next to me.

We were practically elbow to elbow. He was in my space. I didn’t like it.

The gentleman didn’t seem to notice. He just sat there as if all was right with the world, while I was tried to determine whether to innocuously scoot my seat a little to the left.

Would it be impolite to do so? What if he got the impression that I thought he had cooties or was offensive in some other way? I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings. On the other hand, what if he was a tad bit imbalanced and my scooting away from him caused him to snap. I could see tomorrow’s headlines: Deranged Man Shoots-Up Diner; Woman’s Political Incorrectness to Blame.

No, I’d better just stay put.

My veggie plate came, which consisted of butter beans, lima beans, and coleslaw. It was a good thing I didn’t order anything that required knife & fork action.

No good would’ve come of it.