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A sweet moment
Nov. 12th, 2006 08:14 amOne of my favourites spots to eat Chinese food in Vancouver is the "New Town Chinese bakery". It's a Chinese bakery/cafe that looks like it should be a diner in a small town, except that it serves dim sum and is completely filled with old Chinese people. I go there a few times a month to eat shrimp dumplings and turn overs. Yesterday the place was packed, and since I was alone, I decided to sit at the counter with a row of old Chinese men. This was pretty amusing in itself, and reminded me of one of those Sesame street segments where a bunch of characters sing "One of these things just doesn't belong here."
So I ordered my stuff and read a bit and relaxed and drank tea. After a while, I noticed that the man sitting to my right was not eating, just sitting there. A waitress brought him a pile of take out boxes and he put them together quickly and efficiently. I watched him for a bit and then said, "Wow, you're fast."
He chuckled and said, "Yes, I'm a bit of a machine. I do this 364 days a year. I'm blind so I come here every day and do this because it's better than sitting at home twiddling my thumbs."
Then we talked about the gossip in the restaurant, and feeling useful and that kind of thing and then I wished him a good day and got up to leave.
***
For some reason, I felt very affected by this encounter. I guess it was a reminder of humankind's need for community and our need to feel that we are contributing in some way.
So I ordered my stuff and read a bit and relaxed and drank tea. After a while, I noticed that the man sitting to my right was not eating, just sitting there. A waitress brought him a pile of take out boxes and he put them together quickly and efficiently. I watched him for a bit and then said, "Wow, you're fast."
He chuckled and said, "Yes, I'm a bit of a machine. I do this 364 days a year. I'm blind so I come here every day and do this because it's better than sitting at home twiddling my thumbs."
Then we talked about the gossip in the restaurant, and feeling useful and that kind of thing and then I wished him a good day and got up to leave.
***
For some reason, I felt very affected by this encounter. I guess it was a reminder of humankind's need for community and our need to feel that we are contributing in some way.
