I Don't Even Like Tea
I'd had to stay late at work that night, and not just an extra 15 minutes. We're talking hours, with attorneys standing over me as we tried to get into Pacer to look up a case and then file something. When I finally got out of work it was raining and cold. I had neither an umbrella nor a hood nor a warm-enough jacket.
In high school I liked going for walks in the rain, especially when I could play November Rain on my walkman. Teenage girls like doing depressing things like that.
Now I'm an adult, don't like being depressed, and don't particularly enjoy walking through the dark and cold and rain after a long day of work. What I needed in life that night was soup, and it inspired my decision to stop at the dim sum restaurant near home.
Rain dripped down my hair and face, and my jacket and shoes were soaking. I didn't even want to walk too far into the restaurant lest I get everything wet. But even after I gestured to my wet bags the owner waived me over, so I went to place my soup order. She gave my order to a waiter and then scurried away. When she came back from the kitchen, I was still standing where she'd left me, and I watched as she pulled out a chair at a table, and placed a glass on it. She told me to sit, and pointed to the glass. I didn't want to mess up the table; I wouldn't be staying long. But I sat, and picked up the glass. It was warm tea. Not hot - it didn't burn my mouth, but warm, and as I swallowed it warmed my body.
Immediately tears were in my eyes. I don't know how people like JD Salinger do it. I don't even aim to be alone but yet I am, and it apparently affects me so much that I am moved to tears when someone sees that I am cold and wet and does something to help.
I kept sipping the tea, to drink up the feeling of being actively cared for, until my soup was ready. The owner looked over periodically to check on me, and that "being cared for" feeling overwhelmed me.
By the time my soup was brought out to me, I'd drank almost half the glass. I get all verklempt every time I think about it.
In high school I liked going for walks in the rain, especially when I could play November Rain on my walkman. Teenage girls like doing depressing things like that.
Now I'm an adult, don't like being depressed, and don't particularly enjoy walking through the dark and cold and rain after a long day of work. What I needed in life that night was soup, and it inspired my decision to stop at the dim sum restaurant near home.
Rain dripped down my hair and face, and my jacket and shoes were soaking. I didn't even want to walk too far into the restaurant lest I get everything wet. But even after I gestured to my wet bags the owner waived me over, so I went to place my soup order. She gave my order to a waiter and then scurried away. When she came back from the kitchen, I was still standing where she'd left me, and I watched as she pulled out a chair at a table, and placed a glass on it. She told me to sit, and pointed to the glass. I didn't want to mess up the table; I wouldn't be staying long. But I sat, and picked up the glass. It was warm tea. Not hot - it didn't burn my mouth, but warm, and as I swallowed it warmed my body.
Immediately tears were in my eyes. I don't know how people like JD Salinger do it. I don't even aim to be alone but yet I am, and it apparently affects me so much that I am moved to tears when someone sees that I am cold and wet and does something to help.
I kept sipping the tea, to drink up the feeling of being actively cared for, until my soup was ready. The owner looked over periodically to check on me, and that "being cared for" feeling overwhelmed me.
By the time my soup was brought out to me, I'd drank almost half the glass. I get all verklempt every time I think about it.
Labels: Anti-Foodie, Food Snob, Overthinking, Potential Depth, Pounding the pavement, Turtle-in, Work
posted by Green at 5/01/2008 10:24:00 AM
7 Comments:
I know exactly how ya feel. It is really touching when a relative stranger is kind. We are really all in this together, and when one is reminded of that - when someone else acknowledges it - it speaks to the heart.
I live alone, I often work alone and really have noone. This is true all the time, and I think I cry when someone is kind because while I am happy someone recognizes I am a fellow human being, I also am reminded of how alone I am. It's bittersweet.
That is so heartwarming (pun intended), GY. I love it when those strangers-who-impact-up moments enter our lives.
Many things.
First off, you struck a chord with the teenage girl/depression thing. God, I swear I provoked depression back then. It was totally my thing. Nowadays, I have sworn off Portishead, Radiohead, and any other melancholy heads, and only listen to happy stuff, happy reggae, happy jazz, happy happy happy, cause if I didn't, boy I wouldn't ever get a thing done.
Second, very very sweet about the Chinese restaurant experience. I know the feeling. And it's also nice to induce those feelings in others when you can see they need it. Just the thing, after such a long day. Just the memory of that will keep one going for a while.
It's nice to see that there are still people out there who care...even if they are complete strangers. Actually, I think it's even nicer to see it coming from complete strangers.
That sounds like something I'd do. Cry involuntarily.
Like the other day, this well meaning guy asked me what I was going to do now that I've graduated grad school, and I could feel my eyes welling up.
I made sure not to ACTUALLY cry, though. actual crying in public is so AWKWARD.
I liked this..
I have kept this post saved in my bloglines and have read it a few times as I have had several similar days since you posted it.
Such a kindness is great to come across. Thanks for sharing.
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