Sound Bites

About 2.5 years ago (Jim The Engineer [JTE] would know how long ago it was; he was engineeringly keeping an Excel chart on it for a while), I phoned JTE on a Friday and said,

"Let's go to Pho Saigon for lunch today. You know, make it a regular thing, sit at the same table, like a couple old men in Miami."

We did. JTE even dubbed the event OML, for Old Man's Lunch.

Simon The Brit (STB) had introduced me to the place. I fell in love with L2, Lemongrass Chicken, so much so that as time went on owners Jackie and David knew my order. Knew all our orders automatically. It was a given. L2 for me, except for the rare aberration. Simon's regular was either #13 or #26, vegetarian noodle soup or an alternative.

Typically, JTE and Ethan My Son (EMS) would order by just saying, "I'll have Simon's." (I think the noodle soup was the default option; correct me if I'm wrong, JTE, STB, or EMS.)

For a year or more, Jim and I were mainstays. Others were added to the mix: Charlie The Engineer, Kellie LA, Jenny, JCG, and even Wifey, JoJo, and when conditions permitted BalletDaughter and Irishstep Daughter. Once, we must've had 13 or 14 people at a big oval table.

L2 for me, thank you.

Then we drifted off. Our office moved downtown. Plus Kevin, David's son, experienced a dreadful eye injury last winter while chipping at a huge icicle on the building.

Pho Saigon's hours became more irregular.

I became irregular (I'm trying more fiber. HAHAHAHAHAHAAHHA.)

Today I hankered and hungered for L2.

STB, JTE, and I convened at Pho. Closed.

We proceeded several block to another Vietnamese restaurant. Probably more people there for lunch than totaled in two years at Pho. But I like Pho's phood better; Simon likes this place better, the food that is.

Anyway, at lunch today it was a bit of a reunion: JTE, SBT, newly married EMS, and I.

The camaraderie was an oasis amidst a fuckedupfrenzied workday. For me at least. Or most.

In between sips of noodle soup, Jim, alias JTE, was relating a business narrative and said something like,

"I was not the decision maker, but influenced it."

"Put that on my tombstone," I said.

Laughter all around, with some chili sauce added.

I noted how my webstore had sold a few "I Leap for Kierkegaard" T-shirts these past few weeks, even one to someone in Australia.

JTE: "How many gross have you sold total?"

ME: "You kidding? I haven't sold a gross in two-plus years! I've never cleared a profit for one month!"

A gross? I mean, I'd love to make money while I sleep.

Who wouldn't?

Pass the chopsticks.