Impending Imprisonment

"Are you single, Geale?" the woman in the table who talked to Geale at the doorway asked as he served their food.

"Sorry?" he replied, taken aback by the question.

"Are you dating anyone?" she clarified, leaning forward as if flaunting a view of her chest. "I'm single…and very much available."

Geale stared at her face. Was this seriously how humans flirted?

A bell rang from the service hatch.

"Sorry, ladies. I have food to serve." He made a beeline for the bar counter.

"Did he just ignore you?" whispered one of the woman's friends.

"No way. He's playing hard to get." She raised her phone, aiming her camera at Geale as he picked up the tray from the service hatch.

Her friend slapped her shoulder. "There's a sign!" she hissed, pointing at a white sign next to the menu board.

"'Notice: no photos or videos allowed.' Are they serious?! What kind of restaurant posts a sign like that?!"