Diner wonders about stepping in to stop harassment
Dear Amy: This morning I was having breakfast in a cafe and I couldn't help but overhear the interaction with our server at the table next to us. Our server was an attractive young woman. Two older men were seated at the next table. They were being rude, asking her questions about her race: ("What are you mixed with?" "What are you?" "Do all your women look like you?").
One man reached out and was touching her arm and her wrist, while her body language clearly showed that she was uncomfortable.
At one point one of the men said something quietly that I couldn't hear, but her response was, "Oh, that's a bit creepy," with a polite laugh.
Although she remained professional serving them, she looked very upset when she left their table.
I wanted to scold them. But I didn't want to embarrass our server.
It makes my blood boil seeing someone touch a woman when she clearly doesn't want to be touched, but can't escape because of professional expectations.
As a fellow diner I feel like I have a special power to defend a server in a way she couldn't defend herself.
What should I have done?
-- See Something, Say Something?
Dear Say Something: One of my daughters recently called the police when she witnessed verbal and physical harassment on a crowded subway car. When I asked her why she had done this, she said, "I guess I have finally just had enough."
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