DON'T OFFEND THE RABBIT!

For some reason I myself don't understand, I went to have a caffeinated beverage at the Caffe Trieste in North Beach. And I'm glad I did.
Years ago I would go there nearly every day for a latte in the morning, because it was conveniently close and they really are the only place in San Francisco that can make a latte -- not entirely sure what all those other places do, but calling a mildly flavoured wussy warmed milk drink a latte does not make it so -- however I rarely visit the Trieste nowadays.

No, I still like the place. It's the customers that I object to.
I just don't have much tolerance for "artistic" types.
North Beach still has far too many of those.
It's a Bermuda Triangle of attitudes.


There were three other people sitting near me, two of whom were deep in conversation. The third was happily relating to her bunny rabbit, and studiously ignoring the adults.
Precisely that made me notice them. Cute little girl, big blue rabbit.
You don't often see a bunny rabbit wearing a ballerina dress.

"It's that place that used to do pies on Washington, you know, Sun Wah Kue. They do noodles now"

My ears perked up. The restaurant the woman mentioned happens to be a favourite lunch spot of mine - San Sun Restaurant. What had been there for many years was an old-time Chinatown standard that many people still remember.
Sun Wah Kue (新華僑餐廳) was famous for their orange pie, as well as fried chicken and daily lunchcounter-type specials. Their apple pie was probably the best in the city. You could sit there for hours drinking coffee and reading the newspapers on a wet day. Heaven.
Unfortunately they closed down a long time ago.

San Sun (三陽咖啡餐屋) moved into that location last year. They have an extensive menu, but what they do best is phở.

"Robert LIKES noodles!"

That was the little girl's first contribution to the conversation. The man looked startled, and said "her name is Robert? What kind of stupid name is that for a girl?!?"
It was probably the ballerina dress that confused him. Boys rarely wear those.
The little girl indignantly replied "Robert is a MAN!"
"Why is he wearing those clothes then?"
"They're nice!"
"Hah, he looks silly."

"NO HE DOESN'T!!!"

"Whatever."

The man and the woman continued their discussion, and the little girl again gave her full attention to her bunny. I could hear her murmuring, and even though I wasn't trying to listen in, I distinctly heard her extracting a promise from Robert that uncle George would NEVER get noodles again. Ever!

Especially not on Easter!

At this point I was fascinated. The idea that there is a big blue rabbit (in a ballerina dress) who goes around gifting noodles on Easter is enchanting.
Who wouldn't want festive pasta instead of eggs?
Boiled eggs, feh!
I was beginning to feel sorry for uncle George, who wasn't going to get anything at a time when everyone else would be enjoying their noodles.

Sometimes you just have to stare off into space while dawdling immensely over your hot beverage. Pretend like you aren't even aware of what's going on around you. Like a little girl assuring her bunny rabbit (Robert) that uncle George was, in all ways, a real "dick head".

"Melanie! Don't say such things!"

"It wasn't me, it was Robert!"

"One of these days I'm going to wash his mouth out with soap!"

"No noodles for you!"

The woman was completely nonplussed. Clearly she didn't know that her daughter's stuffed animal went around giving everyone noodles at Eastertime.
How ignorant can you get? I mean really!
After extracting a commitment from Melanie to NOT say THAT word again, even if she was 'quoting Robert', a very bad bunny by the way, she returned her attention to the man identified as 'uncle George'.

Who was still quite unaware that he wouldn't get noodles.


Probably because he's a dick head.


On the other hand, I'm looking forward to Easter.
I like noodles.



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