On Friday night, though, it was someone's birthday and every half an hour they would lauch into another round of "Happy Birthday to You". It's always fun to see people really enjoying themselves. Anyhow, just as we were about finished with our dinner, one of them (a very drunk one at that) comes over to our table and it turns out to be Ahn, the restauranteur who owns our favorite Vietnames place in Alexandria. The first time we went in there, I don't think it'd been open a month and I ordered some skewers with basil and rice pancakes that I had no idea how to eat. It must have been killing him to watch me make hash out of his beautiful food, because after several minutes he politely came over and asked if I'd like some help. We went there regularly until we moved to Falls Church a year and a half ago.
So a very drunk Ahn staggers over to our table and tells us the manager is his best friend and he taught him how to cook. He also tells us his family members with whom he started the Alexandria restaurant have forced him out. Much ranting both happy and sad. Ahn's old career before he was a restauranteur was in camera repair and he's back at it, but he loves good food and misses the work. We were both happy to see him and sad that our old favorite place isn't his anymore. We came home, and fell over.
On Saturday we did nothing but wander around and see people and be social. We had breakfast and went over to Holmes Run Acres to see the crew there. Stopped by Merrifield for some ten dollar rejection azaleas and went home to read books, plant plants and stare at the 4 walls which felt good because they're my 4 walls dammit, not Charleston's walls.
On Sunday we shlepped around the house until it was time to go to the airport. The end.
Posted by karen at March 11, 2002 12:00 AM