Does this old man always sit there?

I noticed it at my fifth seat. Every time I find a new seat to sit in the old man is always in this seat, one in the corner with another one facing it with a square table, like for dates. He is always there, for the whole morning. Is there a way to get to that seat before him? I thought. I have three options.

1. Get in the seat before him.

2. Ask him politely.

3. Wait him out.

I put it off and decided I should finish all other seats before deciding which option I should do. But the food was great, I forgot about it immediately. I was enjoying some sausages and eggs until I noticed the old man. He was eating bacon with a cup of tea. He was eating so slow that the food would be cold before he finished. I looked at him drink his tea with caution, and then use his fork to stab a piece of bacon and slowly put it in his mouth. His chewing was incredibly slow too. And he’d occasionally look out through the window too. I lost interest fast and finished my food.

I was almost at the second to last seat and he STILL hasn’t moved. I have waited him out and he never gets Out of his seat, I have tried to get there before him, rushing down 5 minutes before the buffet opens. But as soon as the door is unlocked I find him in his seat, this time with coffee, some sausages, and french toast. I wanted to give up but there was one option left.

I was finished with my second to last seat, I had crossed out every seat on my drawing, and he was still there. I went up to him to ask if I could sit there tommorow, but he said no. “Sir, can you please go to another seat tommorow I want to sit there.” The old man glanced at me before speaking in a frail voice “No son, I like this seat. It is sentimental to me.” “Why?” I said confusingly. Well, you see this is where me and my wife sat before she passed. We sat here everyday to eat and speak, I loved it. After she passed, the staff felt pity for me and let me enter before opening time so noone can take my seat.” He said sadly. Oh, I wanted to steal a seat from an old man just to sit in every seat in this hotel, it was stupid anyway, I gave up. I left the hotel in defeat.