Mummy and Daddy warned their 18-month-old that this behaviour wasn’t acceptable, and she’d be taken outside. This increased the decibels. Waitress, trying to placate by offering drinks and yummy stuff, started the table-kicking.
As Daddy stood up, Isabel took a lungful of air. Charlie looked up and said, very firmly, “Isabel, major strop. Just stop it.”
Silence descended on the restaurant, Isabel stopped, peace reigned, and the lunchtime diners started clapping. Charlie returned his attention to his car.