So I have been pondering something recently that I have seen time and time again, and it has been a reoccurring event in my recent trips to my new found fascination, restaurants. So as many of you know, I have been eating for health and vitality for over a year now, and my diet is constantly changing and evolving to better suit my needs of maintaining a sculpted physique while also not restricting my diet to nothing more than carrots and protein shakes. Currently I am what is known as an 80% raw foodist, or some other bullshit label that I really don’t care to associate with who I am as a person. Basically what it means is that I am a vegan (no meat, eggs, dairy, etc) and I eat lots of fresh, healthy, and uncooked foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Now because I am eating to maintain this lifestyle that I have grown so accustomed to, this diet has become more than that, it has penetrated the very essence of who I am and has become a lifestyle choice. I no longer crave butter laden; deep fried, or sugar encroached food of any nature. As a once said to a friend of mine, “If you put a bowl of fruit and a bowl or Doritos with ice cream in front of me, I will push the junk aside and devour the fruit without even having to second guess myself” So I know you are thinking that this is all fine and good, but what the hell does it have to do with restaurants, and more importantly, why is this a factor in people being afraid to ask for what they want at all?
Fast forward to a night on the town with a group of friends, family, or colleagues, Imagine you are sitting at a table and have already glanced over the menu and have a fairly good idea of what type of dining experience you want for the evening. As the waiter approaches, he begins with the women and circles around the table in a clockwise motion. Everyone orders something that they want, from fillet mignon to steamed chicken breasts and pasta primavera. When the waiter finally gets to you, instead of making a statement like everyone else at the table, you begin to ask questions.
What is in the puree of this swordfish?
Would you be able to substitute more vegetables in place of the rice pilaf for this dish?
Is it possible to get this dish pan seared instead of butter sautéed?
Every question is asked with curiosity and hope, and the waiter is eager to accommodate whatever needs you have set forth. He tells you what he knows, and states that he will ask the chef the answer to any question he is not familiar with. As he walks away, you feel satisfied and excited that the pending meal is going to be stupendous, and it will also fit snuggly within the confines of your current diet or general lifestyle choices. And then you look around the table and see that half of the people at your table have either a pseudo gawk or inquiring look on their face
“Why are you asking for beans instead of shrimp?”
“Why don’t you want the rice pilaf with your meal? I had it last time and it was fantastic!”
“You are certainly making that waiter earn his tip”
This is a scene that I have relived many times I feel as if I am on a never ending loop of a local station that could only muster enough money to play Friends reruns and nothing else. While this scene does not bother me at all in the least, hell its been entertaining and interesting since the first time it happened, many people I know would feel damn uncomfortable to be sitting in that hot seat, but why?
Why is it that when you ask questions and ask for what you want, people tend to turn their nose at you?
Is it because it’s not polite? I call bullshit on that account. Restaurants and their wait staff are more than happy to accommodate for you and your wants/needs no matter how ridiculous they can get. As long as you are being friendly and open (which you should be all the time anyway) people will gladly go out of their way to “open doors” for you and your party, restaurant or otherwise. More than likely it’s your rocking of the boat, or sticking your neck on the line, that is causing people to have the “What the fuck” look on their face. And while I wish I could say this example only holds true for those crazy vegans and their trips to the local fine dining establishment, ultimately we both know that anytime you stir shit up and ask for it your way, people will have their feathers flustered.
“Who Gives A Shit What Other People Think” is my obvious and also true feeling in regards to this situation, but you have to look at it a bit deeper than that if that isn’t already your gut reaction. Why is it that you have a problem putting your ass on the line and demanding the things you want in life? Are you scared? Are you afraid of what might happen when you open your mouth at the big meeting tomorrow morning and tell everyone that you think the new project is really the pink elephant in the room? It is important to push for the things you want in life, whether it is at a dinner table or when you are at an important junction in your career, it doesn’t matter. Being true to what you want out of life is one of the most important things anyone can do on this planet, and if you are too much of a pussy to even step up and ask for no chips with your fish and chips, then ultimately you wont have the balls to step up and make the big decisions in your life that really matter. Carve your niche, be true to what you want in life because in the way that you do anything, you do everything.
Cheers
Gabriel
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