Eating out alone is not an activity that most people enjoy. When alone, most opt for the take-away or order-in. I was uncomfortable the first time I had lunch alone in a restaurant. To add to the discomfort, the tables for two  are usually placed as space fillers in a restaurant; either in the middle, surrounded by larger tables or along narrow passage-way. As much as you wish to remain invisible and have a quiet meal, there is noise all around; you are not part of the chatter and it can be unnerving.

You can stare at and keep refreshing the phone for respite, pretending to look busy. Maybe call someone and try to have a conversation while waiting for the food and continue even while eating. The most common camouflage is pretending to read a book or a paper, all the while trying to decipher the agenda of the fellow diners via the peripheral vision. Or you can simply enjoy the food.

But it gets easier, no one at the restaurant really cares why you are eating alone, though you maybe imagining otherwise; everyone is in their own world; the waiters are not bothered with the single order either.

By the time my class got over, it was lunch time. If I gave in to the uneasiness of having to eat alone and waited till I got back home to grab a bite, it would take another 2 hours in Bangalore traffic and I was starving. I decided not to cave in to fear and besides the food was good at the Grill House.

It wasn’t as bad as the last time, I was less anxious. The food was delicious and finished fast as it had my undivided attention. I avoided fidgeting with the mobile and looked around to while away the time. It went well !! I should do more of this, I tell myself.

Happy lunching alone !!