Pretty sure I've been getting my Chinese take out from the same guy my whole life.
It may sound a little weird, but I’m pretty sure I've been getting my Chinese take out from the same guy my whole life. It doesn’t matter where I've been living, this guy has followed me for something like, ever, beginning back when I was in college when I first met him where he was working at a Chinese restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was there working quietly behind a counter. I remember it very clearly. I’d say something like, “Hey, I’ll have the Moo Goo Gai Pan, or the Egg Fu Yong, or maybe if I was looking to impress a date I’d order the Orange Duck. And he would nod and after a few minutes I’d be on my way. Back to wherever to eat my Chinese food.
But it wasn’t until years later, after I quit drinking, that I finally made the connection. I remember Laura and I ordering Chinese food one night when I was Governor of the State of Texas, and we asked for delivery. When the doorbell rang, there he was. I said, “Hey, don’t I know you? You look real familiar.” He said nothing, nodded and went on his way. As I stood there in the doorway, holding that warm bag of Mu Shu Pork, Fired Prawns and Egg Rolls, it all came back to me. I realized who he was and I wondered how it could be? I kept it to myself that night, as it was too personal of an experience to share.
A few years later, over concerns about my cholesterol, I had been off Chinese for a while when one night I said, “Hey, I got to have some Chinese food tonight.” So we went out to a place not too far from the White House. It was a nice place with great décor. I felt like I was in China, sitting at some Chinese table when the waiter came over, and I couldn’t believe it was the same guy! I sat there squirming, waiting for a chance to say, “Hey, I know who you are, I’ve known you for years,” and so on. But he took the orders and was off before I could catch my breath. I never did get a chance to talk to him again, but I’m thinking I’ve got a Yen for some Chinese tonight.
But it wasn’t until years later, after I quit drinking, that I finally made the connection. I remember Laura and I ordering Chinese food one night when I was Governor of the State of Texas, and we asked for delivery. When the doorbell rang, there he was. I said, “Hey, don’t I know you? You look real familiar.” He said nothing, nodded and went on his way. As I stood there in the doorway, holding that warm bag of Mu Shu Pork, Fired Prawns and Egg Rolls, it all came back to me. I realized who he was and I wondered how it could be? I kept it to myself that night, as it was too personal of an experience to share.
A few years later, over concerns about my cholesterol, I had been off Chinese for a while when one night I said, “Hey, I got to have some Chinese food tonight.” So we went out to a place not too far from the White House. It was a nice place with great décor. I felt like I was in China, sitting at some Chinese table when the waiter came over, and I couldn’t believe it was the same guy! I sat there squirming, waiting for a chance to say, “Hey, I know who you are, I’ve known you for years,” and so on. But he took the orders and was off before I could catch my breath. I never did get a chance to talk to him again, but I’m thinking I’ve got a Yen for some Chinese tonight.
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