I was at work for thirteen hours today, assembling press kits and dousing fires left and right, so I'm way too tired for words. Funny incident at dinner though, which I must impart - so I write on. Pardon the incoherent sentences and misspelled words if any happen to follow...
After previously mentioned thirteen hour day, I drove to an upscale Chinese restaurant to meet my family and extended family (my aunt, cousins, and in-laws) for dinner. It's the nine year anniversary of my favourite uncle's death from cancer and we get together every year for dinner to remember him and be together as a family - something he would have liked. So, this place is very swanky, in the Chinese definition of the term - big ass chandeliers, lots of mahogany furniture, gilded gold wall sconces, ornate tapestries on the walls, etc. Definitely very Chinese - not "fusion" or white-washed Chinese. Full on ten course meal, with a change of plates for every course. Like I said, fancy schtuff!
Anyway, a good meal was had by all, and lots of fun conversation around the table. Finally, as dessert rolls around, two of our waiters come to the table carrying a beautiful fruit flan with a lit candle, singing the birthday song. Keeping in mind the fact that we were there to commemorate the anniversary of my uncle's death, I wasn't sure how to react when these two sweet Chinese waiters came towards us with a birthday cake. They were singing quite intently and with such gusto that nobody had the heart to tell them to stop. There was just an uncomfortable silence at the table as everyone tried to make sense of what was happening.
Finally, I could take it no longer - the absurdity of the situation caused the laughter to pour out of me like a burst dam. Everyone joined in the nervous laughter and the poor waiters were left standing there without a clue as to why we were all laughing so hard and wondering who was going to blow out the candle on the cake and take the knife to cut the first slice. The sight of these two bewildered waiters made me laugh even harder, and I swear, I almost peed my pants!
Funny how the most inappropriate things make you laugh at the most inappropriate times, but can somehow become the perfect way to mark the moment. From his celestial vantage point, Uncle Peter was probably holding his belly laughing at that very moment as well.
After previously mentioned thirteen hour day, I drove to an upscale Chinese restaurant to meet my family and extended family (my aunt, cousins, and in-laws) for dinner. It's the nine year anniversary of my favourite uncle's death from cancer and we get together every year for dinner to remember him and be together as a family - something he would have liked. So, this place is very swanky, in the Chinese definition of the term - big ass chandeliers, lots of mahogany furniture, gilded gold wall sconces, ornate tapestries on the walls, etc. Definitely very Chinese - not "fusion" or white-washed Chinese. Full on ten course meal, with a change of plates for every course. Like I said, fancy schtuff!
Anyway, a good meal was had by all, and lots of fun conversation around the table. Finally, as dessert rolls around, two of our waiters come to the table carrying a beautiful fruit flan with a lit candle, singing the birthday song. Keeping in mind the fact that we were there to commemorate the anniversary of my uncle's death, I wasn't sure how to react when these two sweet Chinese waiters came towards us with a birthday cake. They were singing quite intently and with such gusto that nobody had the heart to tell them to stop. There was just an uncomfortable silence at the table as everyone tried to make sense of what was happening.
Finally, I could take it no longer - the absurdity of the situation caused the laughter to pour out of me like a burst dam. Everyone joined in the nervous laughter and the poor waiters were left standing there without a clue as to why we were all laughing so hard and wondering who was going to blow out the candle on the cake and take the knife to cut the first slice. The sight of these two bewildered waiters made me laugh even harder, and I swear, I almost peed my pants!
Funny how the most inappropriate things make you laugh at the most inappropriate times, but can somehow become the perfect way to mark the moment. From his celestial vantage point, Uncle Peter was probably holding his belly laughing at that very moment as well.
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