Really?
The first verse:
The other night, dear
As I lay sleeping
I dreamt I held you in my arms
But when I woke, dear
I was mistaken
So I hung my head and I cried
I always took it to mean the person is mourning the loss of a loved one and they dreamed they were still alive.
Also, I once heard that this song was about a horse named Sunshine. 🤷♂️
This is such a toughie for me. In fancy joints, they might take it as a point of frustration on your part: “ugh, this service is slow to clear the table; get this mess away from me *stacks plates*”. Or, even worse, that you’re doing their job for them.
But in a place like Waffle House, I’ll do it.