Chinese takeout and aloofness
by Bob on January 2, 2008
Back in the 1970s, here in America, people didn't order in food much as they do today. They either cooked at home, went to eat as an experience at a restaurant, or went to the restaurant to order food to be taken out and eaten at home later.
I was feeling like a wonderful Chinese spicy takeout meal, so I went to one of my favourite Chinese restaurants in my neighborhood and ordered a nice dish and soup to take out. I then sat down on the couch in the waiting area until my meal was ready.
Whilst I was sitting, a lovely young lady came in and ordered something to take out too. She sat down on the same couch and, since I was reading a book, she seemed a bit interested in conversing. But the signal wasn't clear so I just kept reading my book.
At some point, she asked me, somewhat nervously it seemed, what time it was. I looked at my watch and told her. She seemed upset but I had no clue as to why. Her meal was ready first, so she took it and said goodnight and left, still somewhat nervously. But she did seem a bit peeved. I wasn't sure why.
Finally, my meal was ready for takeout and the owner called it out and I went to get it at the counter. I knew the owner, so I asked him why the lady seemed so perturbed.
He gently but slyly smiled, and asked "She asked you for the time, right?". I said sure and I gave it to her. He said coyly, "Look what was behind you in plain sight on the wall behind the couch you were sitting on!". I did.
There was a huge three foot wide clock right behind where I had been sitting.
So the owner said to me, "you should pick up cues a bit better otherwise it could be interpreted as a rejection!". He was wise and right.
But I never noticed the wall clock behind me.
Cold logical answers are indeed a crashing bore. There are a million ways to answer "What is the time?". In fact, most of the time people ask for the time, they are not asking for the time but looking for conversation.
So, now realising that, I always answer now "9:15pm. How are you today?".
Ah, the simple pleasures in life and co-existence and the implied social contract. These days everyone orders in to their home, so there's no chance. Or they're listening to iPODs.