24 Nov 2010 – Survivor of the Fittest!

Yesterday Jo made me lunch. While sitting in her living room supposedly watching TV, but more focus on the birds outside. These birds are so tamed and used to getting food that they fly into her house. By the door on top of a shelf are bits of bread for them. Previously the bread was just thrown out on the lawn but the bigger black magpies would fight the smaller sparrows… survivors of the fittest! With this arrangement, there is some control with that only the smaller birds are welcome. There is also a blue pet budgerigar in a cage… the irony of life. Birds in cage is a sad sight to my eyes! Tomorrow I will be roasting another bird for Thanksgiving dinner… another survivor of the fittest 🙂

Shopping in IKEA yesterday evening really made my day! Went there to get a bracket to for the microwave (also ended up getting some decorative Christmas lights… like I needed them!!) and decided to grab a bite there. Their chicken wings are quite decent. Found a tall table by the window where I could watch the rush-hour traffic. Just finished enjoying a few pieces of wings, a bottle of pear-cider when I heard this timid soft voice in Chinese… 請 問 literally translated to please ask, meaning may I ask in a formal polite form. Looked up to see this nerdy (no derogatory meant) young man with black rimmed glasses gesturing to my tray to ask if I was done so that he could clear it.

This took me by such a surprise as I do not even remember when and where I have encountered such soft-spoken courtesy especially in the IKEA cafe! Managed to murmured a quick thank you. Such gestures are far and in between and was in such a state of amazement that I forgot to ask his name. Will write to the IKEA management to thank this young man for making my day.

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world – Francis Bacon