Thursday, August 21, 2008

Of Meatball and beautiful people...

Sometimes things just happen. Like last Saturday. We were at Ikea for lunch. The restaurant was packed to capacity but then that is the Ikea restaurant, often like that. Good food and relatively fair price made people come back. So we decide not to be taken up by the crowd since after their meals they would surely leave, either to start buying things or leave for home. With our mind set to have lunch here we decided to look for a place to sit and once that's done we would join the ques for the food. It looks like every table and sitting places were taken up but then we thought surely someone would move sooner and just took our chance.

I saw two young ladies at a table for four and as yet to get their meals. I approach them and one of them pointing to the two seats, says that these two seats are taken but the other two are free. So with that we decided to share the table and since there are no chairs around I went to look for two more and eventually found one with red in color, Seeing the red chair she quip, Oh! A lovely color! I replied that it is mismatch to the one at our table. Anyway it does add color to the table setting. Our daughter Lin got another one and we cramp to sit as comfortable as possible. With that settled I went to get lunch and follow the long ques for that, leaving the ladies on theirs own. I believe my spouse and our daughter Lin would soon get acquaintance with the two friendly strangers.

It was a long ques, so I took my time and move along and eventually got the orders and return to the table with the foods. We got for ourselves Poach Salmon, Roast chicken and Fry. As expected they were already exchanging notes. I notice one of the strangers already got her order of Meatball and wanted to share it with her friends but her friend did not take beef on that day and she was left with a plateful of Meatball that she could not consume all. She told us that she just could not finish all the meatball so she offer us the meatball and eventually I took some and with that the ice is broken and we soon began to chat in a friendly atmosphere on various subjects, from the high cost of living to cars. We soon found that the charming lady who does most of the talking is working with a foreign embassy in town and that the other lady is her school mate. This friend of hers seems to have thing in common with me, in that like me she love driving new car. With that there are plenty to talk on our philosophy of car. Soon we were eating and chatting like a family. With jokes and anecdotes that turn that lunch into an enjoyable get together of sort.

Friendly strangers who became friends at a lunch table are such beautiful people. When you meet such people with such charm nothing could go wrong. The aura of friendships and happiness was vibrating all over, turning this simple episode of living into another colorful event in our lives. Like any episode in real life, it has to end some time, so eventually they left the table with a wonderful smile. Charming! Thanks friends for making our day. Have a nice day.

[Both images are from the Ikea website]

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Assalamu'alaikum Pak Idrus

Thats the beautiful of meeting strangers or new friends. We could know,learn and discuss a new things from different perspective (their perspective). Always appreciate your hobby of meeting people.

Pak Idrus said...

mamadous, thanks for the visit and the greeting, as well as the good words on this posting.

Yes strangers are friends that you have yet to meet. Indeed interesting to meet and talk to these group of people who are strangers to you. Their perspective are valuable knowledge that we often gain in such meeting of the minds.

Have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

PakIdrus,
After I met you in person when you were in Boston (after all we met through our blogs :), I know you are the person could break any cold ice with your warm, friendly and open-minded personality. I'm glad I met you, Kak Asmah and Lin.

Pak Idrus said...

ana, Siti thanks for the visit and the good words.

Well, we are just part of the people of this global village. Why not get to know each other and in doing that enjoy living.

Have a nice day.

JALAN REBUNG said...

salam pak idrus,

my wife is a frequent visitor of your blog and last weekend after reading your posting about IKEA foods,we went to IKEA (and it's not for the furniture ..hehehe).

You are right about the food, it's fantastic..really fell in love with the meatballs. And I also notice that the restaurant is clean which add to the fantastic 'MAKAN' experience.

RIZAL

Pak Idrus said...

jalan rebung, Rizal thanks for the visit and the good words on this posting.

I am indeed happy that your other half frequent my blog. As for Ikea, it is one of the place that I love to go and browse along and have a great Swedish meals of quality and fair price. I am surprise that you had not known of it already. Now that you know I believe you/your spouse would soon be a frequent visitors to the restaurant. BTW the poach Salmon is great as well. And the coffee is superb.

Have a nice day. BTW when can I get your email address. Take care.

Ms B said...

Pak Idrus,

Happy belated birthday! I've been busy meeting people back home. Pretty hectic that coming back to London was refreshing. Such a cosy feeling.

Anyway, i've moved and changed name. Pls drop by.

Pak Idrus said...

ms b, thanks for the visit and the birthday greeting.

I am indeed glad that you are back. I was wondering what has happen to your blog. Many thoughts cross my minds but I told myself let wait and thanks goodness that you are back. Like you, coming back home is surely cozy.

Have a nice day.