David and the friendly waiter

In his works David Copperfield and Bleak House Charles Dickens has the characters interact with a waiting staff. In David Copperfield we have the over friendly waiter who happily takes it upon his self to take poor David's food when he fancies. Waiting staff and their principles have definitely changed since this time, I can never imagine taking a seat and nabbing some of a customers food, I'm pretty sure that they would be horrified. Although it is funny when customers are not happy with their food they will try and encourage me to try some just in case I think that they are lying. No thanks, if your not going to eat it then why on earth do you think I would even want to try some!?


Here is an extract of the wonderful moment where the young David is faced with the waiter who wants everything that he has in front of him:

'Why you see,' said the waiter, still looking at the light through the tumbler, with one of his eyes shut up, 'our people don't like things being ordered and left. It offends 'em. But I'll drink it, if you like. I'm used to it, and use is everything. I don't think it'll hurt me, if I throw my head back, and take it off quick. Shall I?'

I replied that he would much oblige me by drinking it, if he thought he could do it safely, but by no means otherwise. When he did throw his head back, and take it off quick, I had a horrible fear, I confess, of seeing him meet the fate of the lamented Mr. Topsawyer, and fall lifeless on the carpet. But it didn't hurt him. On the contrary, I thought he seemed the fresher for it.

'What have we got here?' he said, putting a fork into my dish. 'Not chops?'

'Chops,' I said.

'Lord bless my soul!' he exclaimed, 'I didn't know they were chops. Why, a chop's the very thing to take off the bad effects of that beer! Ain't it lucky?'

So he took a chop by the bone in one hand, and a potato in the other, and ate away with a very good appetite, to my extreme satisfaction. He afterwards took another chop, and another potato; and after that, another chop and another potato. When we had done, he brought me a pudding, and having set it before me, seemed to ruminate, and to become absent in his mind for some moments.

'How's the pie?' he said, rousing himself.

'It's a pudding,' I made answer.

'Pudding!' he exclaimed. 'Why, bless me, so it is! What!' looking at it nearer. 'You don't mean to say it's a batter-pudding!'

'Yes, it is indeed.'

'Why, a batter-pudding,' he said, taking up a table-spoon, 'is my favourite pudding! Ain't that lucky? Come on, little 'un, and let's see who'll get most.'

The waiter certainly got most. He entreated me more than once to come in and win, but what with his table-spoon to my tea-spoon, his dispatch to my dispatch, and his appetite to my appetite, I was left far behind at the first mouthful, and had no chance with him. I never saw anyone enjoy a pudding so much, I think; and he laughed, when it was all gone, as if his enjoyment of it lasted still.

Finding him so very friendly and companionable, it was then that I asked for the pen and ink and paper, to write to Peggotty. He not only brought it immediately, but was good enough to look over me while I wrote the letter. When I had finished it, he asked me where I was going to school.

It is quite an endearing moment in the novel, despite David getting his food taken away, but he feels like he has made a friend and companion. The way that the waiter makes it into a game for David to see who can get the most food makes David feel at ease and that the moment is a fun one. However, in reality he is probably on low wages and alike to David at many points of the novel is unable to afford delicious and substantial food and ale too so he finds David the perfect victim to steal food off. Poor Davvy.