No matter where I’ve lived, I’ve always had at least one local Chinese restaurant where I could go and sit very cheaply and have lunch. These days, I usually go and sit by myself and listen to whatever book I’m on in my MP3 player. Lunch is synonymous with the next chapter.
Yesterday, I carefully observed the experience and it amused me. I arrived and there were just a few patrons. The restaurant has two sides, the side where I always sit has no distractions, and the other side has a TV. Yesterday the tennis matches were on. There was one table with two couples on my side and a single man or two on the other.
The two couples were older and large, and for me to notice older and large, they really had to be. I guess we were the older and large side of the restaurant.
I ordered one of the usual specials, an inexpensive combination of dry garlic ribs, mixed vegetables and steamed rice. This runs, as do most of the specials, $4.95. I always assume most people get the specials, although sometimes, in an effort to make some small change in my routine, I order a regular dish. When I arrived the two couples were having soup. After my food came, the waiter started to bring large plates of food to them; a large plate of fried rice, followed by a large plate of chicken wings, followed buy a large plate of chicken balls followed by more stuff, all pretty fried looking from where I was sitting. I was eating and listening to the story, but the amount of food they were consuming was even scary to me!
They were still eating when I left.
After paying the bill, I went in the back to use the bathroom. On the way in I observed a man sitting with something that did not register, but as I left, he was asking the waiter for catsup! I tried to see what he had in front of him as I was leaving, but without glasses, I had no idea. It was difficult for me to imagine ever asking for catsup in a Chinese restaurant.
My fortune cookie told me I was creative, so now there was at least one other source in my life, besides my mother, who confirmed this diagnosis.
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