Tea for Two

One of my dearest friends has a birthday this week and one of our favorite things is to go to a tea house. I found one we'd never been to in Seal Beach and decided to try it.
I should have heard a bell go off, when I left two messages that were never returned when I tried to make the reservation. Finally, on the third try, I got a real person on the other end and was informed there was only one reservation left for this Sunday at 4pm. I grabbed it.
Unpon our arrival, we were asked to wait while the table was set. There must have been four other parties all with 4:00pm reservations. Once seated, we were asked if we wanted soup or salad with our "Queen Mum's Tea" package, which is the nicest on the menu. We both chose soup and it was delivered in moments. No tea, no water, nothing but soup. Finally, I asked for water which she brought. Still, no tea. Did I mention this is a tea house??? It took over 15 minutes for them to bring out the pots of tea! We sat and we waited and we waited and we waited...NOTHING!!!
Having so much time to sit and talk, my friend and I plotted and planned how we would do OUR tea house and how wonderful it would be. We would pay attention to detail and make it special. We would....wash the drapes!!!! Yes, during this long wait, we noticed that the once white drapes were now a dingy gray from so much dust covering them. Looking around, we noticed that we were not the only ones without food...no one in the room of six tables had any food!
Finally, at 5:05pm, she brought out our teeny, tiny sandwiches, scones & jam. She never asked if we'd like our tea refilled or warmed up. It was cold by the time the food arrived!!! Did I mention this is a tea house??? We waited almost one hour for some very disappointing food. At this point we were so hungry we would have eaten the gray drapes!!
To add insult to injury, the check arrives. This "feast" cost $27.00 PER PERSON plus tax!!!! I turned the check over and wrote, "The food was disapppointing and the service was terrible!!!!" I left her a two dollar tip. I have never done that in my life. Looking back, two dollars seems like I gave too much!!!
We left the tea house and drove to a Starbucks where we bought a sandwich and two cups of coffee and laughed til our sides hurt.
It just proves, no matter where you are and how awful the circumstances might be, if you are with the right person, you can have a wonderful, fun and memorable time.
Memorable is right. It will take me a long time to forget that place!!!