PARIS   -   The army of waiters who are the lifeblood of the French capital’s many cafés often get a bad rap, accused of everything from being unable to crack a smile to being downright rude and impatient to their customers. But the “garçons de café” of Paris are undoubtedly pro­fessionals. They can remember the orders of eight people without taking notes. They can car­ry all the dishes and drinks in one go. And they can manage a busy lunch rush without break­ing a sweat – and still find time for a quick ciga­rette break. Those professional skills (minus the smoking) were on display in full force on Sunday when Paris staged the Course des Cafés, marking the revival of a once-annual event that chal­lenges waiters to race a two-kilometer route (1.2 miles) while car­rying a tray laden with a cup of coffee, a glass of water and a crois­sant. Two hundred of the crème de la crème of the city’s cafes, clas­sically attired in black pants or skirt, apron and a white top, took to the streets and alleys of central Paris to com­pete in the event and entertain the crowds.