Sometimes life can only be symbolically described by everyday occurrences. Ordinary, is, after all, only applicable to subjective understanding of one’s surroundings. Or, some postmodern bullshit like that, right?
The day after my return from thanksgiving, my friend and I, in a spur-of-the-moment craving wanted Thai Food. Hard. Call it estrogen cravings, call it random spontaneity for adventure, or exploration, it doesn’t matter.
I searched “Thai Food” on Karen, my incredibly untrustworthy GPS outside as we were parked in an abandoned shopping center. We found a place 1.56 miles away on Manchatta. (pronounced: Man-cha-tah).
I get in my car, turn on the headlights and we drive. It’s a straight shot. On the way we listen to Beyonce’s "Ego." I feel good about my life in that moment, arranged perfectly in it's place in time. I turn up the radio. We car dance.
We walk in. The salad bar is covered in saran wrap. The ceilings and walls have a strange faded cream color. I see wood monkey statues sitting on the window in compromising positions. I already love this place. It’s like the kind of dive-bar that makes you feel right at home when you walk in. Places like this don’t have to throw around themed bullshit or pretentious demeanor with swanky posh furniture or facades. It’s simple. It’s real. They just want to give you food. Thai food.
Waiting to be seated, I hear the cry of a baby. I glance over the cash register and see a small Asian baby in a car seat. I don't really know what to do so I hope the waitress seats us soon. I wave to the crying baby in the car seat.
A petite woman walks up and leads us to our table. We sit down. There’s a playing card labeled, “10”. Table 10.
I look around and see metallic pictures on the walls, black light furry posters of tigers and holograms of waterfalls. On the television, which sits directly behind us, they are playing The Simpsons.
I order my food. It arrives seven minutes later and it is delicious.
I am surrounded by non sequitur décor, the sound of Homer Simpson, delicious food, good company, holographic animals and waterfalls and large awkwardly placed fake plants. A day earlier, I was sitting with my family at a café surrounded by a foot of snow. Life's weird and wonderful.
Juxtaposition is beautiful and everyday, ordinary life should never be overlooked. Even if there are holographic asian posters on the wall.
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