I went to dine alone at a fancy restaurant. I got a table near a window with a view. Soon after, a server came asking if I’d move to a table near the kitchen, so they could combine mine with another to fit a family. I politely declined. The server looked tense but said, “OK.” I froze, when minutes later, a woman came up to me and gently smiled.
She introduced herself as the mother of the family that needed extra space. Instead of asking me to move, she thanked me for holding my ground. “I know it may have felt awkward,” she said, “but it’s important to remember that your presence is just as valuable as anyone else’s. Too often, people think being alone means being less deserving of the good seats. But you matter.”