Remember when David Suzuki used to pop on the TV screen in the 80s and tell you that by leaving the tap on over night, you could fill up something like 10 two litre milk cartons?
As a young boy who certainly appreciated the size of those milk cartons for his Shreddies and Rice Krispies, I sure as heck do.
I also recall running into him at the gym I used to go to (read: go to Hadj’s class now) two or three years ago and thinking, man, I should really ask David Suzuki about those milk cartons.
I didn’t.
What I did do, though, and am damn proud of it (hopefully David would be too as his picture is framed and signed directly opposite the till) is venture into Connie’s Cookhouse at 2135 West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano after almost 9 years in the neighbourhood and not once setting foot inside!
What was I thinking?
After waiting just a few minutes for my previously placed order (free hot n’ sour soup and 10% off pick-up – who wouldn’t pick up?), I dealt with a very pleasant lady who went so far as to neatly place both sets of chopsticks in a cleverly folded and stapled take out menu as a container. A modern day chinese food quiver for its arrows, completed with extra soya sauce and fortune cookies.
After asking about whether or not pork buns (cha-soo-bow, apologies for the spelling) were on the menu, I was kindly instructed that they aren’t; however, Connie’s makes something very similar that I may wish to try next time I was there. How cool is that?
How cool, as well, was her eye contact, her smiles, and the handing over of my receipt with both hands and a slight bow?
I now know why Connie Soo, the reason for this place in the first instance, was smiling so widely in the 2003 newspaper clipping that’s framed right beside Mr. Suzuki.
She has every reason to be happy as she knows she was/is on to something that’s got staying power (like those milk cartons in my mind).
And that, is the nature of things.
darren
