Bad Dreams: Waiter worries...

Agitated, I roused from my dream. It was only a dream, I kept telling myself, but that didn't help and sleep evaded me for the rest of night as I tossed and turned in my bed. 

"I'm going to have to move you to another table", said the waiter as we were halfway through our meals. 

"Oh? Why?", I asked with an eyebrow raised. I'm usually quite flexible and understanding with these sorts of things as long as there is a valid reason for the inconvenience.

"We've been asking the other customers how they feel about what has happened and some of them aren't happy", replied the waiter. About what has happened? It didn't seem to me like it was a really big deal. My friend, who was she in my dream? My girlfriend? Just a friend? My wife? My ex-wife? She was a blur but the relationship troubled me now that I was awake. My friend and I had wandered into this restaurant in search of dinner. I didn't know what the restaurant was called or where it was, but I knew it was rather posh and reservations were usually required to get a table. Of course, we didn't have one. It took some time for anyone to discover that though since the restaurant had a rather strange layout.

We had wandered in through the front entrance and we were greeted with roomful of occupied tables with not a waiter in sight. There was no lectern at the entrance, no sign and no maître d' to ask us if we had a booking and to show us to a table. We wondered past a few tables looking for someone to help us, scratching our heads and wondering where all the staff were. As we walked further inside seeking assistance, I could feel some of the customers looking at us wondering who these boorish people were.

Finally, we caught the attention of a waiter in the next room who was a little flustered when he found out we didn't have a reservation. He left us for a moment and then came back to tell us that he had found a table for us and led us into the next room. We followed him past the double doors and were startled by the impressive sight. Whilst the previous room was upper class, but plain, this was a ball room for aristocracy. Statues, paintings and antiques adorned the velvet curtained walls and marble pillars. Silverware glittered on the tables that were paired with gilded chairs. We were shown to our table and sat, marvelling at the sight.

Everything was proceeding delightfully until the waiter came to make this strange request.

"Where are you moving us to?", I asked.

"We may move you by that window", replied the waiter aloofly. "There is some glare coming through that window and we shall be using you to stop it."

My jaw dropped at the rudeness and I stared back dumbfounded for a minute or two as a smug smile crossed the waiter's lips. Were the other customers upset that we were sitting at this gorgeous table without a booking? Perhaps they were annoyed that people of our stature in society had been afforded such undeserving luxury.

"What exactly is the problem?", I managed to ask after a few moments.

"Some of our customers are upset that when these two ladies walked in, one of them was actually a man", replied the waiter bluntly.

I might have been dumbfounded before, but this time I was totally taken aback with shock.

"Excuse me?", I asked trembling.

"You heard me. The she is a he. You're a dude!" A sneer crossed the waiter's lips as he hissed that last word. I was shocked, hurt, embarrassed and angry. I didn't know how to respond, how to handle the situation. 

"What do you want from me?", I asked standing up and approaching the waiter. "Do you want me to drop my pants to prove to you that I'm not?"

"I'd like to see that", he replied with a sleazy smile mixed with contempt. I grabbed his sleeve and tugged him towards me.

"Come on then."

"You want to come and have a look too?" he laughed as he asked a fellow waiter.

"You know what?", I asked, turning around, after we were halfway to the toilets. "Screw this. I think I'm just going to sue you." 

A hushed silence fell over the room. Everyone had seen what had happened and I was sure I'd have a case. Judging by the reaction of the room, I wasn't the only one who thought that. 

I woke up agitated. Why had I dreamt that?? An uneasiness settled over me that prevented me from going back to sleep. I'd only had a few hours sleep. Today was going to be a long, rough day.