Crumbs From the Corner: Adventures in Woolgathering

Friday, February 13, 2009

Have a Nice Day, and Much More







"If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world."
-Francis Bacon, Sr.

During the early segment of our stay in India a curious chain of circumstances caused an extra, but most welcome, travelling companion to one day be seated at the breakfast table with Spouse and I.
Our friend ordered a hearty meal of eggs from one of the waiters who hovered gently over everything- attentive fellows who poured steaming tea into delicate cups for thirsty patrons and who hurried over if a diner lifted a finger to an eyebrow to dissolve an itch.
Shortly after, a waiter materialised with an enormous plate and slid the breakfast onto the table in front of its hungry owner.
Then he said, so softly and sincerely we three took a moment to believe our ears, "have a nice omelette," and he slipped away to attend to other chores.
His comment, uttered entirely without embellishment or awareness of its grace, was both extraordinary and appropriate for a trio about to embark on an excursion into an unusual, exotic land.
It takes one sort of character to wish somebody a nice day, or even a nice stay in India; and quite another sort to begin with the slightest, most infinitesimal detail.

2 comments:

Pappy said...

I'm caught up now. Great stuff. Glad you took pictures to illustrate your stories. I love the visual stimulation. As usual you find plethora in the infintesimal. Pappy

Phyllis Hunt McGowan said...

Texican, we took a lot of pictures so I'm happy to share them. It does add a bit of colour when pictures are included...

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