Tuesday, November 25, 2008

"I Trust You"

A really neat thing happened today.
It restored my faith in -- shawarma guys!
I was at work, and it was 4 o’clock, my afternoon breaktime.
And I was hungry. [That part is not really unusual.]
I was craving meat!
I thought I might just jaunt on down to this new place that opened up just a few blocks away.
It’s called “Shawarma Al Baba”. A Lebanese fast-food place, complete with Drive-Thru window and the works!
If you don’t know what “shawarma” is, oh dear friend, you are missing out. It is just incredible, I seriously love Lebanese food.
After a good shawarma sandwich your breath smells like the south end of a northbound rhinoceros but hey, it’s worth it! The food is awesome.
So, I set the alarm in my building, jumped in my car and booted it over to Al Baba!
Ordered a sandwich at the window and drove forward.
The guy opens the chute and hands me the paper bag of food, and SEVEN BEARDS OF ZEUS…. I realize I have no money. Left my wallet at work!
But I’ve got the sandwich, it’s right there in the passenger seat.
I was so embarrassed. I blurt out to the guy, “Mr Baba, I’m sorry. I have no money. I have to go back to work and get money. In the meantime…. here, you keep this and I’ll come back and pay,“ and I was handing the beloved package back to him.
But he wouldn’t take it!
“No, no. You go. Take it, take it. You will come back one day and pay me. I trust you.
I said, “You can’t be serious,” the paper bag suspended in the air between us.
“Very serious my friend. Take it, take it. I trust you.

So I took it. And oh, my God it was good!
And here’s the kicker I have absolutely no intention of ever going back there and paying the guy!

No, I’m just kidding.
I swear by all the hot peppers in my shawarma that I went back right after work, a few hours later, and paid Mr. Baba.
Do you believe me?
To believe me, you must trust me!

P.S.
In the future, maybe I’ll
make my own.
*********

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shawarma is the food of the gods! And I am impressed with Mr. Al Baba's trust. I know you and wouldn't trust you to pay for the Shawarma!

Lorin

Sam said...

Oh, man, you made me hungry. I fell in love with shawarma (and Lebanese food, in general) while living in Algiers, of all places. There was a great Lebanese restaurant about two miles from my house and I ate there so many days a week that I was on a first-name basis with at least 90% of the staff - including those hidden in the kitchen who came out to practice their English on me.

Thanks for bringing those memories back to me.

Isabella K said...

I have shawarma once a week.

I once had dinner at a Morroccan place on Bank St, and when the bill came we realized we had no money. And he trusted to us to come pay tomorrow! And we did! But they're no longer in business.

It floors me that some people still have trust!

Cipriano said...

Interesting comments from some true shawarma fans and from one friend that does not trust me!
Sam & Isabella... isn't it just terrific stuff?
I go to this one place called Tropical Kitchen in the foodcourt of the Gloucester Mall [Isabella, perhaps you know the place?] and this old guy there makes the best beef kafta in the world. His wife makes this fatouche salad that is to die for.
Seriously, it is totally worth the camel-breath afterwards!

Anonymous said...

Hey Cip,

Have you ever tried the Shawarma across from my work? The guy who owns the place is also the chef and he is the most serious guy you will ever meet about his food. Leb food is his art, he reminds of the soup Natzi the way he protects his serving to you. We should go some time. It's the best you'll have.

LR

Anonymous said...

Once a guy bought my dinner at a chicken joint.
I didn't know him at all, and I wasn't destitute at the time, but I had talked to him while we waited in line.
Why should we be surprised that our fellow man trusts us?
Isn't that the way it should be?
The default position?
Or do I live in Lala land?
Or does this even relate to the thread here?

A True Believer

Cipriano said...

Hey LR.
I know not the place you are mentioning but if they make good Lebanese, hell yes! I wanna meet ya there sometime!

And, as for the other anonymous, the True Believer.
Ye in LaLa Land.
I'm assuming thou art Woman.
Are you sure the guy didn't buy you the chicken dinner just because you are so dang cute?