He was, for a time, the leader of the ruling class of Alberta. I don't mention sensitive names. His autographed picture hangs on the wall of the restaurant.
As a customer he was a disappointment, cheap, tightfisted, classic member of his "class".
They come in, bluff that they have a reservation "You can mark it off" his guest tells me, there's no reservation, and while usually I'd be open to the possibility we made a mistake, with these people I know better, still, I play along.
He has a haughty look, arrogant, dislikeable upon first glance, raises my back somehow, I think I recognize him, check the photos on the wall, sure enough...
He led the party, briefly, into flames and ruin. The Party, that had ruled Alberta for 40 years, he, the elected final leader, so personifying the party, the arrogance, corruption, he the face of privilege, ignorance, scorn, corruption, his was the face the party wore to their grave.
***
Following the election, and his party's complete annihilation, he came for dinner. And one of our customers (all of our customers are party members) stood and told him what they thought, in front of his family, told him in no uncertain terms and with colorful adjectives what he thought of his leadership, what he'd done to the party. We moved them to the private room. He suffered it unfazed, true, he'd single-handedly brought down an empire, by single-handedly personifying every one of their corrupt influences...
***
The second-last to leave table, 8:30, they ask "Is that so-and-so...former ..." and I apologize, yes, it is, we don't discriminate our customers, really, we should...
He stays another 2 and a half hours after close, tips 12%. Oblivious to every social clue that every nitwit, any nitwit would recognize, they don't care, we are open for them and them alone, and this ignorance, it's the perfect metaphor to his governance of the party, to the party itself...