The Green Princess
It was an interesting time. I loved the soup! It was Pho, vietnamese but with a french twist. Very fresh vegetables and the atmosphere did have a decidedly European way of it. It might have been the lighting, bright and airy for January or it might have been the mirrors that added to it all. Regardless, upon walking into a crowded dining room, we were seated where a toddler could sit with her mom. This is an important point of the experience, I soon find out. It’s been nine or so years since I’ve had to worry about a wiggly little one during lunch.
Because of the mirrors, even if you were to be seated toward the wall, you still get an idea of the restaurant anyway. And while this isn’t about a review of the very fine food that we ate at the restaurant, it is a testament to community. There were other people dining near that enjoyed the sight of the baby. I had forgotten the attention given to have a little one with you. As they grow, the attention does wane. It’s unfortunate but it does happen. Some preteens are more than fine with that fact.
Did I mention there was a wiggly kid? Well the mirror was certainly a means of entertainment. After that was exhausted, all too quickly, then it was the brown translucent curtains that separated the hallway that led to the kitchen and the bathrooms. Those curtains got a whirl or two, or twenty-seven. What is it about the swirl of fabric around a kid? Forts made of blankets, canopies on a bed, Dresses on a rack in the cloths shop all become wonderful tools of play to the young ones. With all of these diversions exhausted, the maitre de, who is also the owner of the restaurant steps in. It seems that he and this little one have played together before. Not that she would have cared, she was fascinated by the french accent and the bling about his neck for sure but what she was really looking for was full attention. He gave and she loved it. When it was time to seat another customer, she didn’t care that he carted her in the air along for the walk through the sea of tables that were newly cleaned and ready for new customers.
Distracted by conversation, the next time I peered at our little toddler, she was busy getting a lesson on a very important princess. She had a very long and tall green figurine in her hand. He intently told her the special story only meant for her ears. We were not privy to the whole story about this beautiful princess. The snippets that we did catch were when he carted her near to show her an artwork on the wall that depicted the very same princess. He invited her to come back next time and say hello to the green princess, that she would be happy to see her. And with that, this very happy toddler arrived back next to her mother with the figurine still in hand.
I loved it! I think the kid did too. I must go back and ask the owner the story of this green beauty because not only do I need another bowl of the Pho soup, but I want to know the green princess’ name.
~Regina
