Saturday, January 24, 2009

An offer is made

Alright, So I work just as much as I always did - 3 days a week - but now that I dont have classes I feel like the time between days I work is really really long. Proof of this is that when I do finally get back to work I act like a total spaz-job. Yesterday, after not working since last Sunday, I practically threw sushi at this guy. I dont know what happened. Everything was cool, I wasn't in a hurry or anything, I just took the sushi plate to his table and when I got right up to him 3 pieces rolled off into his lap. He laughed and said "This sushi is so fresh it's not even dead yet!" It would have been terribly clever if not for the fact that the sushi I dropped on him was fully cooked deep fried Shrimp Tempura. When I bring the bill later that night the father of the guy I dropped sushi on says "Oh that's ok, you can pick up the tab," talking to me of course. Time to break out the pouty smile and the sob story about being a poor student. He laughs and agrees to pay....pff...as if he had a choice. I come back to get the bill and he holds it out for me. I reach out to take it as I walk by but it doesn't budge. He's holding it out for me but he wont let go and he has the big grin on his face. "Leave the poor girl alone!" his wife says. He lets go and lets out a giant laugh. I dont get it. For the rest of the night I was pretty on edge (Wasan already doesn't have much love for me) and I just kept dropping things like checkbooks and calculators.
But! What I really want to talk about is this weird table I had towards the middle of the night. They seemed nice enough, and they were really nice but towards the end of their meal I came to the table to clear some plates and the man turns to me and says
"You want to know what it was that was the only thing that disappointed me tonight?"
Alright, I'll bite buddy, what's on your mind?
"We were disappointed that you didn't say you were a marketing major instead of a photography major. If I ask you again would you be willing to lie this time and say you are a marketing major?"
Oh boy, Lacey is in trouble.....where is this going?
I try to laugh it off while my mind is churning over the possibilities of what he is possibly trying to get at. So then he tells me. He and his wife own a vineyard and they are looking for someone to help them with marketing. Hmmm...alright well I can take your pictures, I know how to make brochure type stuff and I can build you a website.
"Well we just hired someone to make our website."
Alright now I am really confused. So I take their plates and go off on other business.
I come back a little later with their check.
"Alright, we planned out your life, do you want to hear it?"
Here it comes...he has been working up to this all night I can tell.
"You're going to move to Colorado and date an Engineering grad student. You'll live out there a while taking pictures and skiing until he graduates and then you will move home. You'll settle in Gettysburg, get married and then take over his parent's vineyard. How does that sound?
For real? What am I supposed to say. So I say, with a big cheesy grin on my face, "Alright, you buy me that plan ticket and we'll see what happens."
I walk away with the check and run it, all the while telling Pang what just happened. And she says "Wait a minute!! Did you just agree to an arranged marriage? "
Of course not silly this is all just an elaborate joke
I got back to the table and he hands me his business card for his vineyard. "My son is very handsome and intelligent. He likes to be outdoors. What religion are you?"
Kinda personal don't you think? "I dont have one."
He frowns, "Alright, well we can get over that. What kinda hobbies do you like? Hiking, skiing?"
"I snowboard and golf."
"Oh he's never even picked up a golf club"
"Well mostly I read." Seriously? Are you serious because you just keep going with this joke!
"Oh well that's just great! You guys would really get along! I have to warn you though, he's an engineer which means his social skills are pretty poor."
"What does that mean?"
"He has a hard time talking to girls and socializing in general. He stays in a lot."
Perhaps the reason why his father is hand-picking his bride for him?
"No problem, that's the only type of man I seem to attract. Im pretty much going to be an expert on wooing and winning socially inept guys."
He seems to like this because he laughs and gives me this odd little smile like he's picturing me walking down the aisle with his son as we speak.
"So can you leave tomorrow?"
"Nope, I work all weekend."
"Oh so not until Monday then?"
Think Lacey, think! So I just laugh...awkwardly.
I shake hands with him and his wife, tell them to have a safe trip back to PA and then make my escape to the back. As I had imagined...he left a fat tip.
After that I laugh it off in the back but Pang is convinced that the next time their son comes home for a visit we will be seeing them in Kazu again. Weirdest encounter ever...and there have been some pretty weird ones.

3 comments:

Joshua Cross said...

Wow. I don't even know what to say to that. A great story, and I agree with Pang -- you'll see this guy, and his son, again.

Lacey said...

haha...i hope not. Although I must say, considering how little the parents of my last boyfriend wanted me as a daughter-in-law ( for which I am still at a loss to explain), it is kinda flattering to think these strangers liked me enough in the 2 hours they spent with me to want their son to be with a girl like me...still though.

Joshua Cross said...

Amen to that! When Courtney and I got engaged years ago, I thought her father would die of disappointment. Tough situation to be in -- having the possible in-laws disapprove -- but it doesn't make it any less creepy that those people were ready to betroth their son to you.