To eat or to listen to the beat – it’s your choice

ISEE there have been several letters to newspapers recently from readers complaining about the loud music played in restaurants. It’s not a problem that bothers me because I simply stay away from eateries that play loud music. reckon people have choices, and if there are diners who enjoy loud noise, they’re welcome to find noisy places in which to eat. It’s their choice.

Let me hasten to say I love music. I often spend time at home listening to music, but I don’t particularly like to dine out to musical accompaniment. I do enjoy eating too. Some pleasures don’t mix well. Line dancing and scuba diving, for example, are best enjoyed separately.

I attended a wonderful musical event in a Noordhoek restaurant recently, but it was different because the food was served first (unaccompanied) and when the dishes were cleared away the musicians came in and presented their concert. As far as I was concerned, that offered the best of both worlds.

When I see a sign outside a restaurant saying: “Live music on Wednesdays”, I simply make a note to stay away on Wednesdays. We make our choices. Restaurateurs also make choices, and if they find loud music attracts customers, then that’s a choice they are entitled to make.

As I have written before, I go to a restaurant for company as well as food. It’s an ancient human tradition to share meals with friends and family. Conversation and an exchange of ideas are as important a part of any meal as the food.

As far as I’m concerned, loud music rules out the conversation part of the evening, so I might just as well stay home and have a sandwich alone.

However, I accept that I might be in the minority here and it’s quite possible many people don’t want to ruin a good plate of food by having to talk to people while eating it. Thank goodness we all have the power to make our own choices.

Now modern electronics have offered us yet another choice which seems to be gaining in popularity: eating alone together.

Sounds ridiculous? Well, look around you next time you’re eating out. You’ll probably see a number of people enclosed in their own private sound booths, courtesy of a pair of earplugs.

They may be sharing a table with others, but they’re actually alone in their heads.

Or maybe they’re sharing a private moment with Justin Bieber or Luciano Pavarotti.

Hey, that’s something to remember. “Did I tell you I had a plate of fish and chips with Elvis Presley the other evening?” Maybe restaurants that provide live music should start charging “talkage” for those who bring their own.

Last Laugh

A small boy becomes separated from his father in a busy shopping mall and after searching for a while he finds a policeman and asks him: “Please help me find my daddy. I’ve lost him.”

The cop wants a description of the missing dad, so he asks: “What’s he like?”

The little boy thinks for a moment , then says: “Beer and rugby.”