Today I met up with my college buddy Jenny for our occasional dim sum meet up in Chinatown. The weather was below freezing, the snow was falling steadily, and tourist presence was at a minimum. The train ran a bit slower than usual, as well, and I was feeling the guilt of being ‘that friend’ that shows up late. I am never ‘that friend’. Well…hardly.
As I walked down Elizabeth Street, I unknowingly passed by my destination and headed into a restaurant that looked nothing like our regular dim sum spot, Jing Fong. But, it was a dim sum place, and I just assumed it was the same place. Those places all look the same. Actually, they don’t look the same. Jing Fong has escalators at the entrance that lead to the main dining room. This place was a first floor restaurant. I have no excuse for my gross oversight. I just lack attention to detail when my belly is running on acid.
I finally found Jing Fong, which embarrassingly was just two doors down. I went inside and ascended their distinctively, high escalators into the dining area. Now that I had arrived, it was just a matter of finding my friend Jenny. Simple enough. Wrong.
Upon entering the dining room, I did a quick pan across the room in search of my friend. From behind, I quickly spotted her long, black hair, and promptly walked over to greet her. “Hey! Oh, sorry…” I apologized. It was not her. I looked to my right, there she was! I walked over to her table. As I approached the table, I leaned forward ready to utter a “hi!” Wrong. Not her again. I walked around the room approaching every female who, from the back, had long, black hair, only to realize each one was not Jenny.
Finally, I spotted Jenny, in the middle of the dining room. Finally.
Moral of the story…never meet up with your Asian friend inside a dim sum restaurant. Not all Asian women (and dim sum restaurants) look alike. But sometimes…they kinda do.
By: Tear-n (Fellow Asian woman. Short-haired.)
Text: 2014 © Tear-n Tan. All Rights Reserved.
The TEAR-N TAN Files 