An Amtrak first........

[JayPea]

This morning at breakfast on the CS my uncle and I managed a first.......we made a woman mad at us and demanded to move to another table. We are behind quite a bit as we lost three hours at Emeryville, apparently due to a commuter train running over someone without knowing it and a passing freight finding what was left of the individual. At any rate, this woman was madder than an old wet hen, demanding to know why no one notified her as to why we were late. We didn't know at the time ourselves. We explained that generally they don't make announcements of any kind until at least 7am. That made her madder as she threw her watch up pointing out it was past 7. As in about 7:02 and 18 seconds. She then ranted on and on about how we were now 6 hours late (out of Chico; it was more like 4 1/2) and REALLY got furious because we denied working for Amtrak. I was wearing an Amtrak shirt and hat, which of course invites the inevitable questions; she refused to believe me and must have thought we were just passing the buck. She raved on about how Amtrak made all these unnecessary stops, how it slowed down for no reason at all, and how no one would answer her questions. And on and on. We tried to tell her things can go wrong traveling by train. Refused to hear it. And on and on. She was just going to contact her lawyer and sue Amtrak. And on and on. My uncle finally told her if she hated Amtrak that much to get off at thr next stop. In retrospect probably not a wise thing to say but we were sick of hearing her. And on and on. She again accused us of working for Amtrak. And when I told her I worked for a grocery store, got even madder and refused to believe it. Finally we had enough and said we didn't want to hear it. As did she. So she demanded to move. Which she did. Keisha, our excellent LSA, didn't know what was up. So I explained the woman refused to believe we weren't Amtrak employees. A couple then sat with us with whom we had the nicest conversation.

Not seeking sympathy here; it's a rough bunch here on AU. Some probably agree with that woman's position! Just an example of how it takes all kinds!!!!!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Which is why I resist wearing Amtrak gear when I go to the WIL station for any reason or when I ride Amtrak trains.

Pity the conductor(s). Hope she's not going all the way to Portland or Seattle.

 

[Bob Dylan]

You guys were to rough on that poor old shrew!

And I bet y'all do work for Amtrak, why else would you be wearing Amtrak gear? LOL

Where did she get off to catch her Jet?

 

[JayPea]

You guys were to rough on that poor old shrew!

And I bet y'all do work for Amtrak, why else would you be wearing Amtrak gear? LOL

Where did she get off to catch her Jet?

 

[shelzp]

Scaring off the women this morning huh! I was going to say scaring off the ladies but thought women was a better choice of words. Yeah, I don't think it takes the smartest kid in the class to figure out that there are delays when you're running on a one-lane track.

 

[oregon pioneer]

To be charitable, maybe she was just having a really, really bad day. If she has any sense at all, when she hears the reason you were so late, she will shut up and feel mortified. But it actually sounds more like she thinks she is the center of the universe, and if anyone *else* has a bad day, it's to personally inconvenience *her*.

The person that got run over had the worst day of all, I'm certain.

 

[JayPea]

Scaring off the women this morning huh! I was going to say scaring off the ladies but thought women was a better choice of words. Yeah, I don't think it takes the smartest kid in the class to figure out that there are delays when you're running on a one-lane track.

I seem to have that effect on women. :lol:

 

[Thirdrail7]

If this is what you do for breakfast, I'd hate to see you around lunch.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Job well done! She was obviously spoiling your Breakfast; so you did right to make her even more upset and uncomfortable.

 

[greatcats]

I would have been tempted to say: " Lady, you have a lot of class. It's all low. "

 

[HARHBG]

Having spent many years in the restaurant business I thought I'd encountered every sort and kind of nutcake out there but this one by far surpasses any I ever had to deal with. It truly never fails to amaze me just how obnoxious people can be. At least you got a good laugh and a good story to share for all your grief and aggrivation.

 

[JayPea]

If this is what you do for breakfast, I'd hate to see you around lunch.

Lunch couldn't have been more pleasant; we enjoyed the company of the ladies seated with us. See, we're not all bad!

 

[JayPea]

To be charitable, maybe she was just having a really, really bad day. If she has any sense at all, when she hears the reason you were so late, she will shut up and feel mortified. But it actually sounds more like she thinks she is the center of the universe, and if anyone *else* has a bad day, it's to personally inconvenience *her*.

The person that got run over had the worst day of all, I'm certain.

Yeah, that person had it worse. Just stopped in your neck of the woods in Chemult; hopefully she's enjoying the scenery.

 

[SANSR]

Understandably, the reporting of this event was not meant to be funny.......that being said.....it was damn funny!

Nicely done, and well described for all.

 

[oregon pioneer]

To be charitable, maybe she was just having a really, really bad day. If she has any sense at all, when she hears the reason you were so late, she will shut up and feel mortified. But it actually sounds more like she thinks she is the center of the universe, and if anyone *else* has a bad day, it's to personally inconvenience *her*.

The person that got run over had the worst day of all, I'm certain.

Yeah, that person had it worse. Just stopped in your neck of the woods in Chemult; hopefully she's enjoying the scenery.

Ha, ha, she's probably thinking "just a bunch of trees", as if they were put there just to block HER view!

Welcome back to the Northwest!

 

[KmH]

Definition of stress (PC version):

"The confusion create in ones mind by the body's strong desire to choke a person to unconsciousness that desperately needs to be choked to unconsciousness."

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Either that woman is not a morning person, or she is a morning person who hadn't had her coffee yet :giggle: . I absolutely love what your uncle said to her !

 

[TinCan782]

Either that woman is not a morning person, or she is a morning person who hadn't had her coffee yet :giggle: . I absolutely love what your uncle said to her !

If she was a sleeper passenger AND her SCA was on top of things, she could have had that coffee before she got to the diner!

 

[Manny T]

I'd like to ask if folks wouldn't mind addressing the broader question: what do you do if it turns out you have been seated in the dining car at a table with person(s) (strangers) you discover you absolutely cannot stomach--for any reason (it's a general inquiry, so exact reasons are not really important). What do you do? Grin and bear it? Move to another table? Go back to your seat, take your food or come back later and start over?

I suppose this can happen at any point in the meal. It's tricky, no?

Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated!!

And to the OP--what is the "first" about your experience--first bad experience with a dining companion? first time you switched tables on Amtrak?

I have to believe this must happen from time to time, incompatible table-mate on Amtrak. Can it be a first??

 

[JayPea]

I'd like to ask if folks wouldn't mind addressing the broader question: what do you do if it turns out you have been seated in the dining car at a table with person(s) (strangers) you discover you absolutely cannot stomach--for any reason (it's a general inquiry, so exact reasons are not really important). What do you do? Grin and bear it? Move to another table? Go back to your seat, take your food or come back later and start over?

I suppose this can happen at any point in the meal. It's tricky, no?

Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated!!

And to the OP--what is the "first" about your experience--first bad experience with a dining companion? first time you switched tables on Amtrak?

I have to believe this must happen from time to time, incompatible table-mate on Amtrak. Can it be a first??

The woman got up and left in a huff. Yes, it was the first time anyone had been sufficiently peeved to ask to be moved because they didn't want to sit with us. We have had some seatmates with whom we didn't click, yes, but never like this. On those occasions we ate in silence.

 

[TinCan782]

I'd like to ask if folks wouldn't mind addressing the broader question: what do you do if it turns out you have been seated in the dining car at a table with person(s) (strangers) you discover you absolutely cannot stomach--for any reason (it's a general inquiry, so exact reasons are not really important). What do you do? Grin and bear it? Move to another table? Go back to your seat, take your food or come back later and start over?

I suppose this can happen at any point in the meal. It's tricky, no?

Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated!!

And to the OP--what is the "first" about your experience--first bad experience with a dining companion? first time you switched tables on Amtrak?

I have to believe this must happen from time to time, incompatible table-mate on Amtrak. Can it be a first??

I would probably "grin and bear it" and the remainder of the meal session would be in silence. Its only one meal (hopefully). It would have to be really bad for me to request a table change.

 

[StriderGDM]

I'd like to ask if folks wouldn't mind addressing the broader question: what do you do if it turns out you have been seated in the dining car at a table with person(s) (strangers) you discover you absolutely cannot stomach--for any reason (it's a general inquiry, so exact reasons are not really important). What do you do? Grin and bear it? Move to another table? Go back to your seat, take your food or come back later and start over?

I suppose this can happen at any point in the meal. It's tricky, no?

Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated!!

And to the OP--what is the "first" about your experience--first bad experience with a dining companion? first time you switched tables on Amtrak?

I have to believe this must happen from time to time, incompatible table-mate on Amtrak. Can it be a first??

Only once have I really not enjoyed a dining companion and I grinned and bore it.

Basically the ENTIRE time she was on her cell phone, not stopping. Even when the waiter came to take her order she simply pointed at the menu, barely acknowledging the waiter.

Other than that I've pretty much had neutral reactions or really enjoy my company.

 

[JayPea]

On this trip at another meal the couple we were with spoke almost no English. Not enough to even carry on the most rudimentary conversation. We immediately gave up and also ate in silence.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've never asked to be moved to another table because of a bad table mate, but have asked to have a different server since the one we had on the Texas Eagle is a notorious Chicago 'tude person!

No name listed to protect the guilty, but lots of people have complained about her, including other OBS, and know who I mean.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

On one Sunset trip, my friend and I were seated across from an Arizona college student who was obviously extremely hung over and green in the muzzle. I was right across from him on the window, realizing if he suddenly puked I had no fast out. He was not very talkative other than to mention he had a hard drinking weekend in LA. I remember he ordered the Half Chicken and when it came, he took about half a bite, then jumped up and fled back to his Roomette. The Server joked with us about what did we do to chase the lad off, but the situation was obvious even to him.