This morning, I took my book and went to Creme de la Crepe in Reondo Beach. My goal was to try out this restaurant that all my co-workers were gagaing about and also to get my 20 credit hours of CPEs (Continuing Professional Education) by reading this very lame book my boss loaned me.
I had a great time enjoying the 3-items omelet. I realized that the little container of strawberry jam that came with my omelet was actually the product of France. How refreshing to see a product that was not from China for once! The mere notion that the jam was from France made it just taste all the better. Amazing how our very own preconception about certain things can actually help us like or dislike them more..... I can't help but wonder if my being stereotyping and prejudiced had caused me to miss my soul mate already? Now I have this urge to go through this "Register of Men I Dated" and reflect on what had happened that put them in this Register of mine..... Oh, no, I don't want to go there now, not today because it's such a beautiful Sunday.
Anyway, this is such a wonderful restaurant. It looks like this little sidewalk café one would find in Paris, with the same great tasting food! This has now officially become one of my favorite bachelorette dine out spots. While I was enjoying my wonderful French style omelet, I wasn't able to get much reading done because I was distracted. No, I didn't spot a single handsome dude from the table across me. I was the only single person eating there alone. Everyone else was either with their friends, family, bf, gf, spouses, grandparents, etc, etc... What was distracting me was this table that had a young couple, one baby and one toddler. The couple was sitting with their two children between them. The couple each cared for one kid, making sure their food was sliced, cut up, the kids were eating their food, getting their drink, while picking up the kids' mess and spills. The entire time, the couple didn't look at each other in the eyes, they didn't talk to each other or interact with each other either. Each of them just did their own thing with one of their kids. I was observing them the whole time and they never said a word to each other. They didn't have much expression on their face either. Every now and then they would put on a weak smile at their kids when they were interacting with their kids... But that was all, the couple never interacted with each other all this time or even said a word to each other. It was as if they were strangers who just happened to sit at the same table!
I looked at them and I was sure that once upon a time, this very same couple were locking their hands and eyes, all smiling and all chatty with each other at another restaurant. What had changed the dynamics of the picture? The kids? The reality of marriage and commitment? Did they run out of things to say to each other already? But they were still so young! By looking at this couple with their kids now, I felt almost lucky that I was savoring my breakfast alone on a beautiful Sunday morning.
On the table right next to me, another couple was telling each other about their friends, their childhood hometowns. They seemed to be unable to shut their mouths up... I knew right away this must be one of their first few dates. I saw them locking their hands, neither hand had any ring... and I could tell from the butterflies in their eyes they were having a good time. They were totally oblivious of their surrounding.
Intersting how in one little café in one single morning, there are people at different stage of their relationships, (single, just dating, married and started drifting apart, in stable long-term relationships) having breakfast all at the same time.
