cindy, andy, dennis, emmy

Made a ritual of afternoon trips to the local Chinese place. Have been going there on and off for years. But now I take my place there, every day, in a chair, at a table, facing in toward that kitchen and all that industry. The wild yelps from the counter persons to the cooks. Through it all, they smile, and in the slower times they take a table together and eat bountiful bowls of vegetables and rice with their chopsticks..

After years of going there, I finally learned the names of the restaurant staff: Cindy, Andy, Dennis, Emmy. It's with knowing their names that I feel more connected to them. It was a simple gesture to make. Far be it from me to be so foolish as to "teach the world to sing in perfect harmony," but knowing some one's name is a bridge of sorts. Yet, with intimacy, comes problems I know so well.

My average visit to the Golden Star is no more than fifteen minutes. In. Eat. Out. The food is delicious and my hosts are accommodating. I am satisfied with this.