What The “F” Happened To The Spoons & Straws?

This blog was written when the world opened back up after the horrific Covid pandemic. 

Since Covid why do restaurants no longer provide customers with spoons and straws? Prior to Covid, I would get a fork, knife, spoon and straws. Now when I go to a restaurant, I only get a fork and a knife and maybe a straw. Did utensils and straws die during the Covid pandemic?  For someone who is losing motor function and has poor hand dexterity, I learned early on eating most of my food, including salads, with a spoon was much easier.  A straw for all drinks is a must because glasses are too heavy for me to lift to my mouth to take a drink.  Yes, I’m even talking about cocktails and coffee. I’m sure you can image the looks I have gotten when I ask for a glass of wine with a straw or need a straw for my piping hot mug of coffee!

When I use a spoon, the material it is made out of greatly matters.  The metal can’t be too heavy because I can’t lift it.  But it can’t be plastic either because when it’s too light, I have no control over it.  The food just falls off!  The handle can’t be too short because I have lost complete function of my thumb on my right hand.  I need to stabilize the utensil between my index finger and middle finger. Imagine trying to eat using utensils without the use of your thumb!

As I continue to decline with the use of my motor function, I start my meal with a few scoops of food to my mouth but quickly tire.  I need assistance to finish.  Recently, when going out with friends, I order food that can be boxed up and brought home because it takes me much longer to eat than my dining companions. So nowadays going out with friends is more about companionship versus the food. 

A while back, I had a girls evening out.  It was a special occasion because our dining venue included having our meal outdoors in an igloo.  Of course, I had to ask our sweet, young male waiter for a straw and a spoon because, again, they weren’t provided.  He replied, “Why do you need a straw and spoon?”  Needless to say, the entire igloo went quiet, and everyone was waiting to hear my response.  As nice as I could, I told him it was because I have a disabilities using my arms and hands. The waiters smile dropped off his face.  He turned beat red and he got flustered and said, “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

Of course, the gals in the igloo with me were egging me on saying, “Stacy, go ahead.  Show him.  Show him!”  And, of course, I did.  We all laughed, including the waiter.  He also said he understood because he, too, had a hand tremor in the past. We all had a good time, but I doubt he will ask a customer that question in the future. When our young waiter returned with my spoon and straw, he also provided hors d’oeuvre plates with a stack of napkins about two inches thick.  I guess if you are disabled, you are also messy. Maybe that’s why he felt the need to supply me with napkins that could’ve been used for everyone currently in the restaurant at the time. Ok, I will admit I am messy.  I carry hand sanitized wet wipes with me to clean up after my dining experience. 

As a side note, I started to take my own fucking spoons with me until it became a financial burden.  Every time I was finished eating, the waiter or waitress would take away my plate with the spoon on it before a dining companion grabbed it for me. I didn’t have the heart to ask the waiter or waitress to go back to the kitchen and dig through all the dirty dishes to retrieve my spoons.  When this happened, I would say, “They just took fucking spoon again!”  My dining companions always got a kick out of that!  I have probably lost about 20 spoons so far.  By the way, our waiters name was Daniel.  I almost burst out laughing when he told me his name. Poor Daniel, in our igloo, was really in our lioness’ den.  We needed to pray for his safety!

11/24

Lioness’ Den

Who says you can’t drink wine out of a plastic coffee mug with a straw!

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