When a quiet lunch goes wrong in a public place

Irritability can sometimes come out of nowhere and ruin a perfectly good day.   I recently had the
experience with someone who was triggered by the totally innocent and absent-minded behaviour of someone else – a complete stranger:  the signs of agitation were there. She vocalised it “if that
guy doesn’t stop playing with his ice I’m going to have to do something.”  I looked up, and yes indeed at the next table there was a man …

© Delphine du Toit (2026) All rights reserved