To a singleton, there's no worse feeling than sitting down at a restaurant by yourself and having the host quickly pull all of the additional silverware, etc. off of the table before you have a chance to slide your lonesome self into a suddenly cavernous booth. I can almost hear them say "Well, you won't be needing all this will you? I've got a very large party of happily coupled folks that can certainly use these utensils more than you. In fact, I'll seat them right next to you so you can hear and see them nuzzle and laugh together all night. Now can I get you something to drink or did you want to get started on that game of Tetris on your phone before you place your order?".
Sometimes I want to lie and tell them to keep one extra setting around because someone "might" be joining me, but then they would just keep circling around waiting for that imaginary other to appear and thus keep them from processing my order in any quick amount of time. Then when no one eventually came I would become "stood up" chatter for the staff and they would resort to putting little smiley faces on the bill with an extra mint as if to say "No worries, luv. You'll be gangbusters next time and you'll have to fight off additional diners at your table. Now freshen your breath and skulk out the back if you don't mind."
Who's to say that while I dine alone some other solo flyer wouldn't become hypnotized by the sight of me forking lettuce and ranch dressing into my maw and feel a pressing need to forgo all social barriers and invite himself over to join me? Or at least ask me to quiet it down because he can hear me chewing over his tense game of phone Tetris.
