Watch this argument with me

Lighten up!
He's not likely to be on MN and if she is, she'll see that we're mostly on her side.

Mind you, he might be on here.
He'd be one of those maddening blokes who preface all their answers with "Man here".

Nice - so not only are you listening in but you are repeating things gleefully online?

I do hope they don’t see this as they would surely recognise themselves

And yet here you are.

A barrage of Alpaca.

No, I just don’t get why people do this 🤷‍♀️ Each to their own and all that but I can’t imagine being that invested in someone else’s conversation, even if it is loud

Bad day hun?

This thread has reminded me of witnessing a similar silent dining couple in a pub in Hurstpierpoint about 35 years ago. Not a single word. I was fascinated.

I've never forgotten them.

Nice - so not only are you listening in but you are repeating things gleefully online?

I do hope they don’t see this as they would surely recognise themselves

Team Phillip here.

There have been health issues for my parents and my mother was fine and supportive of my father getting an "old person" issue (deafness ironically!) but when she got one to do with her sight she was adamant he must have it too, I guess to make it more ok to her.

He didnt.

I can well imagine my mother being Judith in this scenario.

I was....well it wasnt eavesdropping because they didnt speak, but I was fascinated by a couple spotted in a restaurant years ago on holiday. In the end then DH and I spent more time watching them than anything else! They walked in and were seated. Ordered drinks and meals, both spoke fine to the server. Long story short they spent a three course meal not speaking a single word to each other, not even when they left. It was like they telepathically decided to leave at the same time! This was well over 20 years ago so no phones to scroll on, they just sat there!

Ex and I decided that they were having couples counselling who had suggested a date night once a week. And couldnt work out why it wasnt working!

Love this, I always love listening to other people's conversations especially if there is a disagreement involved!

This reminds me of my elderly aunt and uncle, both accusing the other of needing a hearing aid, both saying 'there's nothing wrong with my hearing, you just mumble'. I'd watch them have a conversation. She'd say something, he'd nod and say "oh right". He'd say something, she'd nod and say "Hmm". Neither one having any idea what the other was saying 🤣

She’s left the table, she’s gone out of the side door to the smoking area so I think she’s gone for either air or a smoke.

Philip and his knees remain at the table. Plates have been cleared, desert menu has been examined and now he’s sitting reading his phone in silence.

It’s a hearing aid

Shes just said (the volume she’s speaking makes sense now btw) they both need one and he’s being stubborn. He says he doesn’t need one but agrees she does and that’s made her even angrier. She’s inches off leaving the table and storming off.

I’m eating alone in a very small restaurant in a very small town and there’s a very small woman absolutely laying in to her dining partner who is resolutely refusing to react.

She’s in her mid-60’s I’d say. Her dining partner looks a similar age, he’s probably late 60’s although looks younger because he’s got that lanky teenage frame and posture about him. He’s deathly calm in the face of her fury.

Anyway, she’s fuming. It started about 20 minutes ago with a furiously whispered ‘well it’s just like it was in millets PHILLIP’. The ‘Phillip’ was spat with such venom I winced from across the room. There’s only them, me and another table here.

From what I can gather, Phillip has a long held opinion on something and as a result, doesn’t want to buy something that this lady would like to purchase. She says she will buy it for herself and Phillip has calmly said ‘that’s fine if you want to, I don’t mind you having one but I won’t be using it’. He’s eating a burger and switched from eating with a knife and fork to picking the whole thing up in his hands - this infuriated the woman further and she said that sort of behaviour was exactly why she can’t have him coming to Mark and Fiona’s next week. He didn’t reply to that and that also seems to have annoyed this woman even more. She has finished her main course but keeps picking up her cutlery and putting it down again like she’s stuck for something to do.

Phillip has attempted to change the subject a few times but she can’t let this go. They’ve not said what the thing is but my first thought was an electric car maybe? She wants one but he doesn’t? Whatever it is has clearly been boiling her piss for a while because she’s absolutely hopping mad that he won’t agree to use one of whatever it is. I’m also dying to know what happened in Millets.

Also yes I’m eavesdropping, although given the space is tiny and they’re feet away from me, I’d hear what was happening whether I was trying to hear it or not. It is indeed none of my business and if you need to tell me off to feel morally superior then please do go ahead. If you’re a people watcher though, come and speculate with me

She’s left the table, she’s gone out of the side door to the smoking area so I think she’s gone for either air or a smoke.

Philip and his knees remain at the table. Plates have been cleared, desert menu has been examined and now he’s sitting reading his phone in silence.