Monday, January 21, 2008

Sushi, Sunlight, and $6.56.

The chime tinkled roughly as the I opened the door with a little too much force... all the occupants in the restaurant glanced at me as if I'd just disturbed meditation. Hey, the door did say 'Push' after all. A smallish woman looked at me with malice, and clearly mouthed "How dare you..." with narrowed eyes, and took up her steak-knife in a balled fist. (Ok that didn't actually happen, how many sushi places have steak-knives? It was just an awkward moment.)

I sat at the table and ordered my meal, thinking that I've been waiting two weeks for the cable guy to arrive. No, not the spookily-bendy Jim Carrey-style Cable Guy, I'm talking about Shaw Cable. Yes, once more I'm hoping to become a resident of the 21st century and finally have internet at my place, anything to take my mind off the cloud cover that's been suffocating the city since I got back. It snowed today a little, slushy, sleety snow, but snow nonetheless.
My meal arrives, this place does awesome sushi.. David and I came here last year before I went home, it's cheap-ish, and good enough for me to make a return-visit, just to make sure I wasn't dreaming about their insanely-tasty dynamite rolls. To verify that it was real I took a photo as well..

I took out my iPhone, and covertly connected to the wireless network nearby, checking out AshtonX and AppleInsider while I ate. I'd love to post progress on the project I'm still working on, but it's just not in the cards. When I give things away I tend to give big things away, mostly by accident, so I'm unrealistically secretive with the things I do just in case.

But I digress, the meal done, I hop up to pay.
Then I realise with a quiet "Crap!" that I can't pay. I have about $8.00 on me. How am I going to explain this - the guy hardly understood me asking for a glass of water. Somehow I do though. I tell the guy I'm infinitely apologetic, and that I'll be back the next night to pay him properly. He nods disbelievingly, disapprovingly, and disenchantingly, and I leave. Holidays are helpful for many things, but not my bank balance..
So I'm in debt. $6.56 in debt to be precise, and I can't stop worrying about it. It's like a pea under my pillows, a thorn in my side, a weight on my shoulders. Pick one. I couldn't sleep, then I woke up grumpy, then I went to work and sat there thinking about it most of the day. It's $6.56! What in the world is up with me?

I'm getting ready to leave that night, I hit the net and make an account-to-account transfer of my last $20 so I can get something out of the ATM, and my boss appears next to me, and says that a client urgently needs a redesign done. Looks like I'm staying late.
Now I'm stressing even more, thinking I'll never get this guy his money back, I'm gonna break a promise because I can't get to the restaurant before close, and I hate breaking promises more than Oprah hates tomatoes (statement unverified). I fly through the job as quickly as I can. Luckily I finish what I need to do and do it well enough that I won't miss sleep over that too, and bolt out the door.

I leap off the bus 2 stops early and bust out a twenty from the ATM near my place, then run the rest of the way to the restaurant.
The lights are off, door closed..
Turning around in a circle with a frustrated grunt, I lean against it, and it swings open, the chimes tinkling roughly. I glance around in surprise, and out of the kitchen, light still on, comes the owner, looking surprised and somewhat shocked at the windswept mess that just plowed in his front door. His wife appears behind him. They probably think they're about to be held up, she's got a worried expression on, he's just glancing at me confusedly like my head was a basketball. I walk to the counter and hand him the money - plus tip.
He glances at it for a moment, and then he bursts out laughing. After a few moments he pats me on the shoulder, and in his thick accent says "You promise!". His wife sighs audibly and begins laughing also. I thank him again, and walk out the door, and hear him say "How about that!". Guess he never expected me to show up again.

I got home and fell asleep in my blanket on the living room floor, for some reason I'm that tired. When I wake up and bus to work the next morning the hills are lit up. The clouds are still covering Vancouver, but the mountains are bathed in white, new snow, blindingly bright because of the clearing in the sky above them. I forgot how bright sunlight actually was. Nice day though. Nice day.

Jimzip :D

Oh mucho dramatic! I forgot why I try not to write when listening to music! You'll just have to forgive that little ending. ;)

5 thoughts are now mine:

Luke said...

Haha! Well at least your misadventures make for amusing blogs.

I so hate those last-minute, work late jobs. But at least you should feel all warm and fuzzy for making a cynical restuarant owner believe again in the goodness of the human spirit. It could be made into a TV movie of week (I didn't say it would be the most exciting movie, but it's sure to be better than Glitter).

Oh, and out of your three options I chose pea under your pillows, cos, you have pillows plural - so as if you'd notice one small pea underneath it. Oh unless you meant to spell pea as 'pee' and which case... ew... and I choose thorn (but a small one that's easily removed).

Jimzip said...

lol. Well.. you never read The Princess and the Pea? (Not saying I'm the princess, it's just a reference - aw forget it..)

Jimzip :D

bcpatrick said...

What's the name of that sushi place, James? The photo makes me want to give it a try! :)

Jimzip said...

It's called Sushi Party, on 4th near McDonald. Small place but good stuff. Give it a try!
If you get a chance, also try Joey's on Burrard & Robson, their sushi is amazing (try the salmon-macadamia roll.. seriously good!)

Cheerio!

JW

Dale said...

One day, when I grow to appreciate sushi and by happenstance am in Canada, I shall go to Sushi Party. :) Great name for a sushi place I must say.

And for what it's worth I liked your music(ally)-inspired ending.

Dale.



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