I don't usually advertise in my blogs, but something nice happened to me at the Thai Garden restaurant in Auburn, California, so I thought I'd give that business a little "product placement" plug. First, you need to understand that Auburn is NOT the Cuisine Capitol of California, so you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this newly-mined gustatory gem, a foothill restaurant I am actually proud to show off to my guests! Wow! They are few and far between (the restaurants, not my guests).
Anyway, I am having a private dinner at the Thai Garden, seated at my newly-designated "customary table" near the window. I am immersed in a terrific book (Olen Steinhauer's The Confession, if you must know). One of my guilty pleasures is going out to eat by myself, just me--and my book. C'mon admit it, you like to do that, too.
My appetizer arrives. Spicy Fish Cakes. Six, plump, crisp, Spicy Fish Cakes. Note how I have capitalized those Cakes. Do you suspect that they are yummy?
At the adjoining table I overhear two men discussing the menu, specifically whether they should order the Puff Pastries or the (you guessed it) Spicy Fish Cakes. I interrupt them.
"Before you make your decision, would you like to sample the Spicy Fish Cakes?"
They looked at me in surprise.
"Hand over a plate. I've got six Fish Cakes and I only need four."
They passed over a plate and I chop-sticked them a couple of Cakes and some sauce.
They thanked me. They looked a bit incredulous. I dove back into my book.
Sometime later, one of the gents said, "Excuse me, sir."
I looked up. He was passing me a plate adorned with two Puff Pastries and some garnish.
"We thought we should return your gracious gesture."
Those Pastries were just as good as the Spicy Fish Cakes, made extra delicious with a sauce of gentility.
I have been so discouraged, so despondent recently about the rudeness and lack of manners in this country. From the politicians to the celebrities to the media egomaniacs to the meth dealers. Everyone just seems so damn mean-spirited. At least that's the way it comes across on television, in the newspapers, and on the internet.
But that's not the way it is, not really, not down on the street, not down in Auburn at the Thai Garden. Down here in the Real America people are still decent, pleasant good-natured folk for the most part. We're all worried, of course, tense and afraid because we are being worked-over by a self-serving media. Fear is a commodity to be sold . . .
but, every now and then, total strangers reach out to each other, smile, and exchange appetizers. It lifts my heart and makes me feel good again.
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