What I Would Order

If Covid-19 were not a thing right now and we could go to a favorite restaurant, I would order everything on the menu. I want to see the look on my favorite waitress’s face when I say, bring it all! I want to feel the crisp, starched tablecloth and napkin between my fingers and hands again. I want to bask in the candlelit dining room as it shines on the loveliness of my wife’s face. I want to taste the fresh, warm bread and revel in the clinking of glasses with a resounding “cheer”.

I long for the sound of conversations at other tables and the laughter surrounding a full room. I want to see the bustle of waitstaff coming and going and trays full of beautifully prepared food. How I miss the aroma of dishes I wish I ordered and put on my mental list for next time. I long for visits to my table from the restaurant manager who drops by just to say hello. I miss the squeal of chairs pulling in and out as customers come and go and the sound of ice as it glides its coolness over the shaker when the next martini is poured.

I wish I could see the smile again on the bartender’s face when I give a thumbs up to a drink made perfect in deft hands. I miss the anniversaries and marriage proposals. The happy birthday impromptu sing a long for people I do not even know. The awkward arguments I sometimes witness with heartache between couples when they think nobody is looking. I even miss the silence between people because they have nothing left to say. I think how sad that is and inside I am counting my blessings and grateful that is not me.

What I would not give to put dinner dates on my calendar again with my beloved friends. The catching up and laughing over stories we have experienced throughout our time together. The line at the restroom because the place is packed, and you must wait your turn. The crinkly brushing sound of breadcrumbs being swept away in-between courses while the anticipation of what is coming next hangs in the air like the smell of Red Door perfume that just walked by. The bells, whistles, and, buzzers of waitstaffs pagers announcing orders are ready. The clang and clack of dishes moving in an intoxicating rhythm of a porcelain merengue dance. The muffled sound of chef yelling out orders and the sizzling song of the grill. Plumes of smoke and fire follow the hard slap of a spoon against giant frying pans as plates are dressed and ready for the show.

And Yes, I would indeed order everything on that menu just to give back for all the wonderful memories restaurants I love have given me.

Written By: Deb Maher©