Sunday, April 18, 2010

Fishy

As most of you know by now, I have no shortage of ways to amuse myself. I suppose I’m somewhat easily bored…so I’m usually on the lookout for something to keep me entertained.

I’ve been known to play catch in the doctor's examination room with one of da boys…with a wet paper towel as the ball. This, in addition to the “close your eyes and guess what this is from the bowels of mom’s bag” game is pretty much guaranteed to elicit an eye roll from my child but they’ll willingly play along if it means the time passes quickly.

On Friday night, I found myself in my old neighborhood and within 20 miles of my all-time favorite Chinese Restaurant, Fortune Garden. (Shout-out to Jill, Jackie and 'Bene…you guys know what I’m talking about!) The temptation was too great…so I headed over to get some delicious food to go. This place makes the best sesame chicken EVER. It’s so good, it will spoil you for all sesame chicken for the rest of your lives…that’s how good it is. You’ll see it on some random Chinese menu and you’ll wistfully think, “Fortune Garden….awwww” and then you’ll order the Moo Shu Pork and the Chinese lady will ponder why you’re choking back a sob as you dejectedly place your order. This is what happens once you’ve had the best…

After placing my order, I sat down to wait the standard 15 minutes till it was ready. Now, they have an incredible salt water fish tank right next to the waiting-chairs. Seriously beautiful…live coral…fish with colors so bright, they take your breath away. So, I did what anyone who’s waiting would do: I pulled out my cell and started taking photos:



I was getting annoyed, because the fish were being a tad temperamental and I kept getting shots of fish butts as they’d swim away from the annoying lady with the stupid, flashy box.
I kept going…not really caring who saw me. Surely, I wasn’t the first person to do this.



Dammit! This was starting to annoy me. That one stripey guy would not stay still long enough for me to capture him…I began to think he was doing it deliberately….and did he just flip me off with his dorsal fin? ‘Cause I’m thinking he may have…

I sense, more than see...a group of people enter the restaurant and I hear a gentleman ask for a table for ten. I’m still clicking and checking and muttering and discarding and re-taking and when I pause to check the last few, I see another cell phone slide up next to mine. I blink and follow the hand, then the arm up to the face of the elderly gentleman standing there. “Would you mind?” he inquires. “You obviously know what you’re doing,” he adds…and he smiles.

“Um. Sure.” I say. And as I’m focusing and framing, I hear mumbling and jostling and I can see the flash of cellphone lights blinking around me and I hear someone say, “Let her take it, Millie…she obviously knows how to do it” and I’m thinking, “No, I don’t!” as that cell is whipped from my hand and another is placed there. Somehow, I wound up using three other cells (besides my own) before their table was called and the party of ten wafted off to find their seats.

I smiled as I watched one woman clock a patron in the head with her oversized purse…she was too busy looking at the photo on her cell to be mindful of where she was going.

I figure that ought to be my good deed for the day…or hell, maybe even the whole weekend.

Anonymous said...

Haha...that's so awesome. Now I wish there was a place like that around here. XD I think I'll go out to eat tomorrow. Chinese sounds really good now.

Jen said...

I love the electric blue one with the yellow tail. I forgot what they're called.

These are great photos. They made a good choice letting you take the pics.

Unknown said...

Dory, Gil, and Nemo! Love it! (Can you tell I only ever get to watch kid movies these days?)

Great pics!

kathryn said...

Gavin: HA! There's nothing like really good Chinese food, right? And oh, man...that was some good chicken!

Jen: Thanks! But honestly, you didn't see the discards...and there were a LOT. They taunted me...seriously!

Kimberly: HA! "Gil"! That's the one I couldn't remember. It's a beautiful tank, right?

Sara Louise said...

I didn't know fish had butts! Too funny :-)
And I can empathize about great chinese food. I had a favorite restaurant that I practically lived in back in Dublin (the szechuan beef was too die!) and I miss it so so much. My new home has great cheese, not so great chinese food :-(

Oddyoddyo13 said...

You should totally take up photography! This was so hilarious-see Kathryn? People are naturally drawn to you.

Lauren said...

I would probably argue with you over the bestness of the sesame chicken if we had it at work...but we don't. So I won't. I'm also glad we don't have a fish tank... that thing would be so distracting. Two years of working there and I still get freaked out by the mirrors. You'd think I know where they are by now. EVERYWHERE! But yay you for your photo-taking karma boost!

Momiji chan said...

i would have just moved to much to hassle with but that's besides the point the point is FISHIES lol XD

Anonymous said...

This might be a sign of a tropical snorkeling/underwater photography vacation in your near future to make up for all that naaasty winter.

Bernadine said...

Hi Kath

"Somehow, I wound up using three other cells (besides my own) before their table was called and the party of ten wafted off to find their seats."

That's nice. They actually used you to take their pictures for them. You see what a nice person you are. People are drawn to you. :) That is so cute. :)

I smiled al the way while reading this post. :)

Thanks for making my blue Monday more colorful. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh you shoulda told the fish you could make them STARS *does jazz fingers to emphasize how huge they'd become*. I mean really I can see it now in lights *gestures to imaginary lights* "Live: The Fortune Garden Fish... In 3D!!!!" Yes "IN 3D!" would also be in those lights. I'm sure Clinton could hook them up y'know. O, can I be the agent? Or their manager even?

;)
xoxo

sage said...

Lovely photos--your phone must have a better camera than my blackberry--I can never get decent up close shots

Spot said...

Those fish were definitely flipping you off. Fish are so rude!!

I'm pretty sure that's not the only good deed you did this weekend. Because I know you. But it was sweet of you.

Now I want some sesame chicken!
♥Spot

kathryn said...

Sara Louise: Oh, I feel your pain! Doesn't it make you just want to resort to drastic measures? Like, have a friend buy it and ship it, packed in dry ice? Or, is it just me?

Oddyoddyo13: I'll agree with the attraction part...'cause it happens a LOT. I'm the one ppl stop for directions...or to reach something on the top shelf! Too funny...

Lauren: Oh, you'd loooove the fish tank! It's so peaceful and gorgeous...but I pity the ppl who have to service it and keep the fish from dying. THAT part would be very unappetizing...

uo-chan: I love salt water fish! They're much more colorful than regular tap-water fish.

kathryn said...

~:C:~ Oh, wouldn't THAT be heavenly. Considering I love anything tropical...and have been known to ask others to hug palm trees on my behalf. Is there any law against drinking & snorkeling?

Bernadine: Hey! Aw...I'm glad I could change your Monday over to something more colorful, sweetie. Everybody deserves a Monday-rainbow.

Fierce: Yes, dear. You may be their manager. Your first task will be to explain how important their best photographic angle is...and how it's all-important not to flip-off the paparazzi. M'kay?

kathryn said...

Sage: It's funny you should say this. I have the Blackberry Tour and the first gentlemen who handed me his phone had the exact same phone! He wasn't aware that my rolling the mouse, you can zoom in. Could that be it??

Stephanie said...

LOL Love it! And I do think your pics turned out so well! can't believe you took them with a cell:) Amazing!

kathryn said...

Spot: AHA! So, I was right! (Stupid, egotistical fish...) Do you know that I once sent a dozen NY bagels to a friend in Illinois? Had to freeze 'em...and pack 'em and ship 'em...we figured it probably wound up costing about $43 for that baker's dozen of bagels. Her response? "Totally worth it!" HA!

ModernMom: Thank you! It's awesome having a really good cell (for a change)...esp. since I'll often find myself thinking, "Oh, if only I had a cam--....wait!" (I have those moments a LOT.)

snoble24 said...

wow very pretty pictures.im sure those people liked them

Tinkerschnitzel said...

Haha! I spent a good portion of the day taking pictures of animal butts at the zoo! They don't like pictures, evidently. I wish I could join you for some good Chinese food. They don't make edible Chinese food in my area. :(

kathryn said...

snoble24: Thank you! I hope they liked 'em too...but if they didn't, they could easily sit down and take new ones themselves.

Tinkerschnitzel: Oh, that makes me sad! No edible Chinese food? Really? I never thought about it but I guess it is a regional thing. I guess I know what you like to eat when you travel, eh?

Unknown said...

Yup - I definitely think this could be a new career move for you. Really, uncooperative fish and all - those are great pics!

JD at I Do Things said...

Aw! You did a good deed AND got some sweet pics of those fishes. I like the blue one. He looks all electric. And now I'm really hungry for Chinese food. Pine Garden! I'm coming!

kathryn said...

Valley Writer: Aw. Thanks, sweetie. I certainly took enough of them...you should have seen all the rejects. Definitely uncooperative fish!

JD at I Do Things: He does look electric, doesn't he? Put in a good word for me at Pine Garden, in case I'm ever in that neck of the woods!

diane rene said...

THIS is classic! I love it, and thanks for the new game idea ... guess what this is :) oh my kids are gonna LOVE the next waiting room we are in ... my purse weighs more than my youngest child.

wendy said...

Mmmmmmmmm!! LOVE Chinese food!
There's a place in Findlay Ohio called The China Rose. My hubby and I have been going there for at least 16 years. I adore their curry chicken. I can smell it as I am typing...Thanks Kathryn! Now I am sooo hungry for curry chicken I wanna cry, LOL.
Salt water fish are awesome. You got some fab pics. How nice that everyone thought you quite the photographer. Even nicer, you didn't get upset at taking pics for everyone else =)
We all know where da boys get their impeccable manners ;)

kathryn said...

diane rene: HA! You're too funny! Yes, it's a great way to teach them about using their other senses...I've even played this game with MY friends when sitting in the airport!

Wendy Blum: Aw! Thank you, sweetie! There's nothing like a great Chinese place, right? I'm gonna be in big trouble if we ever move further away. We all need at least one place that makes our taste buds really happy!

Jerry said...

...and not a photographer extraordinaire. It is not only hard to keep up with all your blogs, but equally as hard to keep up with all your talents.

kathryn said...

Jerry: Aw. I don't want it to be difficult, though. It's supposed to be fun, right? Are you having fun, Jerry? You can tell me...I won't tell anyone.

Heather said...

I thought those pics were real good. You were so kind to do that for all of them, although it sounds like you were just stuck doing it! LOL!

kathryn said...

Heather: I kinda was stuck just doing it! But I didn't mind...as long as they didn't keep me from my FOOD!

Carol said...

Kathryn, you did it again! My computer crashed and I just knew I was missing good stuff and what do I find when I come back? This post. Now since you and I seem to have an abundance of people living in our heads I want to tell you what I saw in mine while reading this. You are in a Chinese restaurant when in walk Japenese tourists, only now, instead of cameras around their necks, it's camera phones in their hands and they pass them off to Kathryn the Great because of your internet camera phone success. You are not just friends with Oprah and the Donald, you are world wide baby!

kathryn said...

Carol: Ha! Yep....that's me! The world-wide-web's answer to modern technology...all tied up in a neat little bow. I'm sorry your 'puter crashed, sweetie...bummer. But you're back! So, we're golden!

Alicia said...

Cute story. The same thing happened to my sister and I the week we went to the Cemeterians Convention in Seaside a few weeks ago. All these elderly people kept handing us their phones to take pictures of them in their 70's costumes and then they said, now send it to my son Ron and my daughter Sue and oh yes, also to our local newspaper. But it was fun.

kathryn said...

Alicia: Oh, how funny! Yeah, you young whippersnappers have to do all the work. It was nice of you to be such good sports!

Post a Comment

Fabulous Insights by Fabulous Readers

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.