A picture that’s not really worth the full thousand words.

The RTD, the mass transit agency for Denver and her environs, has a nifty promotion going on. Anyone who shows a valid ticket or pass for RTD’s light rail system is eligible for a discount on dinner at 4 or 5 nice restaurants near the end of the new rail line. All in all a good promotion. The poster to announce the promotion, though, is another matter. (Sorry, but I can’t find an internet mention of it yet.)

The caption says “Waiter, I’ll have the RTD LoDo Light Rail Dining Deal.” Not inspired, but it does convey a message. The picture with the caption conveys something entirely different.

The background has several people seated at round tables. Seems reasonable for a restaurant setting. There are five figures in the foreground. At the right is a face in a quarter profile. The figure is the nightmare of an ENT doctor, as there are no ears, nose or mouth visible. Since the others aren’t looking that way, it’s safe to assume the figure isn’t the aforementioned waiter. Maybe he’s some kind of security robot. He’d be good in a restaurant, since he couldn’t overhear confidential chats. Any secret would be safe with him, as he couldn’t tell a soul. Anyway, he sets the creepy mood.

At the table are four people. Two couples sitting boy-girl-boy-girl. Immediately next to the robot is a blond woman in pink. She’s got a smile on her face and her hands are in her lap. She’s nestled rather close to a blond man to her left. He’s wearing a black tux and is also smiling. One of his hands (the one next to the blond woman) is visible. Nestled close to his other side is a dark-skinned brunette woman in blue. She’s smiling and keeping her hands behind the table. They all seem to be looking at the center of the table, but there’s nothing there. (I don’t mean to imply any hanky-panky based on the unseen hands.)

The last figure is most problematic. The two women are as far from his as possible with good reason. We see him in a quarter profile also. He has the same dark skin as the woman in blue, with black hair. He’s wearing black too. It’s probably an accident of the drawing, but it looks like he has a Fu Manchu mustache that starts at the bridge of his nose. But wait, there’s more.

The first three diners have dessert in front of them (two slices of cake and one of cheesecake). The last one, though, has what appears to be a mixing bowl in front of him. The bowl is full of something that’s mottled yellow – chicken soup would be my guess. Characteristically, Mr. Odd is preparing to karate chop the giant bowl of soup. We can only imagine why. We can hope that he doesn’t get soup all over the desserts or his companions (who at least have the sense to avoid riling him, even if they don’t have the sense to get away from him).

If that group of whack-jobs is now ordering a meal, what’s the poor waiter to do? It’s a good thing he has the trusty security robot handy.