Last Friday, Shreya and Shamik took us to a
Malaysian restaurant for dinner. One of the main attractions was an appetizer
called Roti-Telur, which is very similar to our moghlai paratha and is served
with a small bowl of chicken stew. It was delicious and quite filling. I have a
picture enclosed but that is another story.
The place was full when we reached. We had to wait
in queue for ten minutes before being ushered in to a table for four. Sattam
had a concert somewhere in Jersey City and could not join us.
As we were being seated, I noticed two attractive
Indian ladies in western attires seated at the table just next to us, engrossed
in intense conversation. They were probably in their early fifties. Their
plates were almost empty. There was an ice bucket on their table with two
bottles of wine sticking out. One of the ladies filled an empty glass in front
of her and took a long swig. In the meantime, the waitress brought the menu
cards for us. Inspired by the ladies at the next table, I suggested to order
some wine as well to go with our meal and discovered, to my dismay, that the
place had no liquor license. However, the diners could bring their own drinks
and the restaurant will be too pleased to provide ice, soda, glasses and
associated paraphernalia. The waitress was very helpful. She suggested there
was a wine store just across the corner and we could just walk out and get our
drink.
Something unexpected happened at this very moment.
One of the ladies raised her hand and said, “Excuse
me”. When we turned she made an amazing proposal. They finished their dinner
and were getting ready to leave. The tables being very close they could not
help but hear our discussion. They were extremely sorry as they did not intend
to get into our private conversation, but they had a couple of unfinished
bottles of wine and they would be very pleased if we agreed to accept them. We
protested vehemently but they insisted; and very politely. The waitress smiled
and told us that it was a very common practice there. Many diners left behind
their unfinished drinks for the next customer. When I suggested that they could
take the bottles back with them they looked crestfallen and said rather
sheepishly that they could not take the bottles home.
Well, to cut a long story short, we accepted the
bottles and thanked them profusely and they insisted once again that it was
their pleasure and left. Both the bottles were half full.
Shamik looked at the labels and nodded approvingly.
They were good quality Californian wines, one red and one white. Shreya had a
lemonade like her mother. Shamik and I did full justice to the kind gesture of
two attractive ladies.
I am thrilled to think if strangers could be so
considerate, how generous my friends would be!
God be praised.
9 May 2013
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