An Organic Experience

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It had been a tiring but exhilarating day at the homeschool convention. My feet were past tired. After a convention hall lunch, we were ready for a good, healthy meal. I googled organic restaurant and found one downtown.

It was obvious when we drove up that this was indeed an organic restaurant. I could tell by the beautiful, but sprawling, array of herbs growing in pots across the porch and in the space between the parking lot and the building.  I could also tell that this was an organic restaurant by the bright paint on this old, oddly-shaped building and by the purple wrought-iron chairs on the porch.

We walked inside and were greeted by the sounds of a lone guitarist playing, you know, organic sort of music. The small room had several tables with lace tablecloths, beautiful fresh flowers, and a carafe of water (don’t think I’m a gourmet; I had to look carafe up so I was sure what the right word was and how to spell it, too). Two ladies were busy inside, one cooking and one taking orders. Both were dressed in an organic sort of way. The older one, the cook, was wearing a black turban-like hat. It slid backwards with some frequency, so its owner had to tuck wisps of hair back in again and again. Her clothes were loose and shapeless (organic, I imagine) and I wouldn’t be surprised if those were earth shoes on her feet (ask your grandmother what earth shoes are).

We experienced that awkward moment when you wonder if you are supposed to sit down, wait for a hostess, or walk up to a counter and order. This was a walk up to the counter place. On a chalkboard was a long list of foods: soup with lentils, sweet potatoes with garlic, quiche, and the like. The young lady with her hair wrapped up in a long scarf knotted at the back of her neck (how do they get those to stay?) told us how things worked.

We could order one item or several or a sample of everything on the chalkboard menu. Being the adventurous type and the hungry type at the moment, I ordered the sample. Our young order taker said that the napkins (cloth, of course) were on the counter as was the silverware (Knives, forks, and spoons were each in a different kind of container. The spoons were in a pitcher with the word spoons written with a black marker). She said that suggested prices were on a sheet of paper on the counter, but that they really wanted people to pay what they felt they should pay. She showed us little homemade envelopes (the papers appeared to have been used before for other purposes). We were to put the money we felt appropriate in an envelope and drop it into the large watering can that was in front of the counter.

My plate had a blue and cream design. I saw other styles as the evening progressed. I followed instructions and got one of the assorted clear glasses off of a nearby counter and poured water from our carafe (now that I know how to spell it, I can use it anytime I like). We listened to the music as we ate our delicious food. When it came time to pay our non-existent bill, Ray and I decided what we thought we should pay. He asked me to take care of it. He was confident that I knew how to do it and he wasn’t sure he did.

I thought I had these folks sized up (why do I keep doing that?). The young lady behind the counter asked about us and I told her we were in town for a homeschooling convention. She began to talk about homeschooling and her wonderings about what kind of education she would choose for her daughter when the time came. I encouraged her to read about homeschooling. Ray suggested that she go to the local homeschool convention. I wondered if she would find what she was looking for among the Christian curriculum choices. And then she surprised me. She said that the important thing was that her daughter learn the Bible, and she told a sweet story about the day when her little girl was playing and suddenly stopped, put her hands together, and told God she needed a dandelion. Why do I get into the rut of thinking Christians all look about the same, that they look something like me?

And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.
Luke 13:29, NASB

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