table or booth? (m)

I used to cringe at this question...particularly when I wasn't the person deciding where we should sit in a restaurant.

It never mattered to me...until I gained alot of weight.

In January of 2007, I had a presentation to the Chairman of the Board of the company which had acquired my company. 

The meeting went really well and, to celebrate, I took some people out for a drink.  It was a McCormack and Schmidt's restaurant.  We got a booth and when I went to sit down, the table squeezed right into my chest.  It was so uncomfortable, I felt like I had a knife sticking in my side.

Thankfully, I had a dinner engagement at another place with someone else later on.  Before I left the restaurant, I went to the ladies room to freshen up.  When I came out, I was shocked to see the Chairman of the Board sitting at a booth right down the aisle from the ladies room.  I had to walk past him to get out of the restaurant.  When he saw me, he called me over and patted the seat next to him and said "Come here and join me for a bit."

I was stricken.  How could I say no?  On the other hand, how could I possibly let him see me stuff myself into the booth?  A heat wave came over me....what do I do?

I politely decilined saying I had to meet someone else.  But really....anyone in their right mind would have spent a few minutes with the Chairman.

Had I not already resigned from the Company, it would have been a career-limiting move.

Recently, I had dinner in a pub.  Almost all booths.  When the waiter seated us, I held my breath and hoped for the best. 

I sat down....with room to spare.