I was mugged tonight along with my wife and two young children outside a restaurant in an allegedly upscale Westchester community, and with the encouragement of the local police.
Its a story about kids and where they are, and are not, welcome.
I booked a table at a recommended local restaurant, the Caravela in Tarrytown. A Portuguese survivor, known for its fish and its welcome.
They turned out to be arrogant child-haters. My 6-year-old daughter and (almost) 3-year-old son are no angels, but they're not juvenile delinquents either. I made sure when booking to tell the guy we had two young kids, and they did run around a bit.
The trouble began when we refused to sit next to the kitchen, five miles from the nearest fellow-diners. We asked for a table closer to the middle of the restaurant where the other eight or so customers were eating, From then on, the staff were slow, dismissive, and passive aggressive. I eventually snapped when the manager chastised me for asking to move tables. I asked for the bill and refused to pay for the main course which had not yet arrived. The helpful Tarrytown Constabulary (three of them) arrived with great fanfare (blocking the entrance) and informing me (with all the confidence of the Law and Order Federal Prosecutor) that to refuse to pay the bill would infringe New York State Law (after all, we were from DC).
The mostly elderly people in the restaurant ignored our plight. They are clearly its future.
With my children crying on the sidewalk, I forked out and left after they threatened to arrest me.
We'll pursue this with vigor but no great confidence in justice. The restaurant, and the cops, should be ashamed of themselves.
