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| Thursday, March 02, 2006 |
| Who IS this? |
I am developing some very un-Ataly behaviour.
Today Mr Ata and I went to the Central Market for lunch. I like going to the Central Market. I eat chicken rice from Ricky's Chicken Rice. I can't help myself. Every time I say, "I'll have something different this time." And every time, the chicken rice just seems soooo good I can't not have it.
Ricky's Chicken Rice is very popular. There is often a long queue. Unfortunately, it often seems to take a long time for food to be prepared - in the past, Ata has waited twenty minutes or so after ordering to have her number called to collect her chicken rice. So it is important to stake your place in the line and hang in there.
Today there were several people in line to place their orders when Ata arrived. There was not a very large gap between the last person in line and a wall. Ata was not even certain if he was in line, as there seemed to be a large gap between him and the next girl. So Ata took a place across the narrow aisle - not behind the linee, but quite obviously waiting her turn.
After five minutes or so, another chicken rice lover arrived. He looked at the line. He looked at Ata. He looked at the gap. He decided to line up between the guy and the wall.
Now, I would like to point out that Ata is usually fairly meek and mild. She does not object, generally, to queue-jumpers - after all, why make a fuss about having to wait an extra few minutes?
New Guy was quite aware of Ata's presence. Every time the line shuffled forward, he quickly shuffled up behind the other guy to prevent Ata from joining the queue. As they neared the front of the line, Ata manouvered herself so as to arrive at the ordering-spot just ahead of New Guy, despite his efforts to cut her off. As soon as the order-taker turned back towards the counter, New Guy began placing his order.
"Sorry," said the order-taker, "Who was next in line?"
"I was," chorused Ata and New Guy. They turned to look at each other.
"I was next!" burst out New Guy, "I lined up behind him!"
Usually, Ata would not have brought this sort of confrontation to this point, much less said what she said next. With a half-smile, challenging eyes, and a low, firm voice, she said:
"I was standing there longer."
There was a pause. New Guy gave up in obvious pique.
"Fine, whatever." He made a dismissive gesture.
Ata looked back to the order-taker, still with the coy half-smile.
"I don't mind," she said. "He can go first." This was, of course, serving no purpose other than to demonstrate that Ata had won, and it did not now matter who got served first.
New Guy was unhappy about losing, and did not intend to accept the generosity of the victor. He bluntly refused to go first. So Ata placed her order and got her chicken rice in a timely manner. Well, no more than ten minutes standing beside the stall clutching her little blue ticket, anyway.
What was that about? Am I becoming a Grumpy Old Woman, intent on making Those Young People respect their elders? I have been working on a character who expects to have everything her way. Perhaps it is rubbing off on me. There was definate Jane in that half-smile. Or maybe the heat and the promise of chicken rice overwhelmed me. Usually I'm much nicer. Really. |
posted by Ata @ 9:24 pm  |
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| 2 Comments: |
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He obviously new that he was queue-jumping and thus deserved anything Ata said. Go grumpy, live happily, have your Chicken Rice sooner.
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err, knew rather than new. I don't think he was new at queue jumping
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He obviously new that he was queue-jumping and thus deserved anything Ata said. Go grumpy, live happily, have your Chicken Rice sooner.