It was a birthday meal at an upscale restaurant . We had a cramped corner table for six. We exchanged pleasantries and ordered a round of drinks.

The drink I ordered is a Tanqueray Gibson (served with cocktail onions - no ice cubes, but cold). It is served in a conical glass with a long, thin stem. The conversation was spirited with loads of fun and jokes when the drinks arrived.

I took one sip of my drink and the conversation continued for a minute or so. The nice waiter handed me a menu and I pondered the choice of a main dish.

As I lurched forward with my menu in front of me, I tipped over my drink. Fortunately, I tipped into the table and no one was hit by the falling gin. I pointed at the spilled drink to the waiter and he took my cloth napkin and placed it over the large wet spot. I had taken only one sip. The waiter rushed to the bar and in about two minutes brought me another drink.

We all had a lovely meal. The entrees of duck, veal and rack of lamb were superb. We had desserts and coffee and we asked for the bill. On closer inspection we were charged for seven drinks, not six. We brought it to our waiter's attention and he scurried to the restaurant owner, a tall, white-haired fellow. And now for "The Accusation." The addition of the bill came to $279.75. The owner flat-out accused me of drinking my entire drink and then throwing the glass down to get another drink for free. "J'Accuse," the $7.50 drink now became a much larger issue.

To hell with the $7.50. The owner was accusing me of thievery before every other table in the restaurant. When my friend's wife approached him he sloughed her off by refusing to talk to her. She stated that she had spilled many drinks through the years and every restaurant just refilled it at no charge.

All of us resolved never to enter that establishment again. All of us were perturbed and lost sleep over that accusation.

I have decided to dispute the entire bill and my friends feel the same. I never asked for another drink. The waiter just brought it. This is good sense and good will to customers.

My e-mail number is written to the right of my by-line (Shgreenbug@Aol.com). Tell me your take on this situation. Bad enough he charged me for a spilled drink, but to accuse me of theft is unpardonable.

"The Accusation is the point of the tale!