Day 22: We went to a restaurant, and guess what we found?

Source of image: http://shepherdsguild.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/christ_as_the_good_samaritan.jpg

Yesterday, we were travelling.  There was no real opportunity to log in to write about too much, so we saved it all for today.  Sorry for the delay.  But, today, we have the most interesting story to tell about what happened yesterday.

Yesterday, while we were travelling, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner.  Normally, this would not be an unusual or noteworthy event, but yesterday's stop was fully noteworthy.  We went to a restaurant that we knew would have some options for vegetarians -- even vegans, since it was a buffet restaurant.  Buffet restaurants are standard enough that they have a salad bar, and usually there are some basic, cooked vegetables.  We got lucky with our choice because this place had both -- steamed vegetables, salad bar, and the bonus was that they had fried shrimp -- fried in vegetable oil (we learned by asking three different employees).

Like we said, the restaurant was a buffet with the expectation that if nothing else, there was the salad bar with lettuce, vegetables and fruit.  We each took a walk around, chose a few things that we wanted to eat, and met back at the table to say our prayer and have a meal.  Our first conversation was about how it is surprising that a few hours in the car can make a person so hungry.  That is always a surprise to us that a short car ride can really build an appetite.

It was not the short car ride that was the noteworthy part, though.  It was the second conversation that we had.  I pointed out to my husband that that restaurant was quite the carnivore's haven.  There were four types of meat, creamed foods, lots of things with bacon, and very heavily stocked with meat-based foods.  The surprise was that out of the twenty two items on the salad bar, four items did not have any animal products.  There were salads in mayonnaise (egg based), salads with bacon bits and cheese, vegetables with bacon and various fruits in gelatin (animal byproduct).  How could it be that a salad bar would have so many animal products and by products?  Even the soups were chili with meat, chicken noodle soup, and a cream of potato with leeks.  What's left?  Bread?  No, the dinner rolls were all brushed with butter-flavoured oil (there are milk solids in that)!

So, there were enough items that we would not go starving.  And, the lack of options for us should have come into consideration first, but did not.  Now, even though this was a conversation between husband and wife, and not really a complaint, it was a curious situation.  Here we are trying to observe a religious guideline of not having any animal products.  It was really a bonus to have the fried shrimp.  Even the pasta on the buffet had been mixed with cheese and/or meat sauce!   But, we were just talking, and realising that this was much  more of a challenge than we imagined possible at this establishment.  But, we were just having dinner conversation.

As we were enjoying our meal, husband arose from the table to "get a salad" (as he said at the time).  Well, that would have been fine, and normally, I would encourage him to get salad.  But as I watched him go to the salad bar, I saw my husband stop to chat with one of the people who worked at the restaurant.  I don't know if this person was a server, a manager, a cook -- I was unclear at that moment.  Regardless, they both disappeared.  I don't know where they went together, or if they were still together, but they were not longer where I could see them.  Often, this would worry me because I would think that my husband has created a problem and we are going to get kicked out of that restaurant.  But, this time, since I lost sight of him and the restaurant worker and was twice as worried.

About five minutes later, my husband returned to the table with a plate of salad and vegetables.  I pointed out that one or two of those items had cheese or mayonnaise.  My husband reminded me that while we are travelling, the strictness of the fast is less stringent, and it was okay to bend a little.  I disagreed and want to find out the "real rule."  I would still like to find out the rule, and will...

So, a few minutes later, I see a man in a black chef's coat and a big smile approach our table.  He graciously presented a large plate with some penne, chopped tomatoes, spinach and broccoli, and said, "This is for you, ma'am.  I hope you like it since I made it myself.  Your husband told me that you didn't eat animal products and that we didn't have that many choices for you.  I was hard pressed to find good choices for you, so  I made you something that you could have.  I did not put cheese because I did not know if you would eat cheese."  My husband grinned ear to ear, as did this man with the plate of food.  Then, this man explained the olive oil and garlic that he put on the pasta, and made sure the penned pasta he used had no eggs, so that would be acceptable to me.  I was stunned.  I said to him, "Seriously?  You made this for me?  Thank you.  You did not have to do that -- I'm honoured.  Thank you!"  And, the conversation continued, "Well, we want to make sure that you have a pleasant experience here, and I want to make sure that we can give you something that you would like and be able to eat.  You know, we are looking at some more vegetarian options, but haven't made the changes yet.  But, we'll look at it a little more closely now, thanks to your husband."

I cannot express my feelings well -- I was touched, thrilled, surprised, and a little embarrassed.  We learnt that this man who made this plate of pasta was the restaurant manager.  He enjoyed cooking and had a vegetarian wife, so he understood that this restaurant had some challenges with the vegetarian audience.  But, he was thrilled to have the opportunity to cook a meal, share some of his talent, some of his ability, and share, essentially, a part of himself.

In a buffet restaurant, I never expect individualized attention.  Nor do I expect to ever talk to a manager unless there is a problem.  So, this manager coming to see us at our table, to take the initiative to make a dish for me, specifically, and to take time out of his schedule to assure that we were going to walk away happy was so unique, so heartwarming, and so touching to us, we had to share the experience with the world.  This manager,  out of the clear blue, demonstrated such Christian giving that we don't even know if he is a Christian... but he demonstrated true Christianity in his giving and his sharing.

Each one of us aspires to make a positive impact on other people in one way or another -- sometimes to make them remember us, pray for us, or to share their notable gifts with others.  Well, yesterday, we found that.

Luke 10:29-37

New International Version (NIV)
²⁹ But he (a lawyer) wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii ^[a] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ ³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” ³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”


Footnotes: Luke 10:35 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see Matt. 20:2).The source of the paragraph - Luke 10:29-37 and footnotes: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A29-37&version=NIV