Dinner, wonderful in every way

We enjoyed a dinner at Bonefish Grill with a sweet, wonderful long-time friend and her sparkling little boy. It was great!

I always consider the service when I look back on a restaurant, and the young woman who took care of us was just great. She said she had a couple of youngsters of her own at home, and she related well to our young buddy...none of that patronizing speaking-to-a-kid-by-not-speaking-to-the kid that I find so odd (saying, "and what will the young man have?" while looking at a parent) and she was just great with us, too. Bonefish is a little complicated, what with sauce choices and specials to choose, and she acted like we were the first people she had ever served, which clearly was not the case.

No need to go into details, but our young friend has quite a story, and we love her for how she has been in our lives for years, and for the life she is making for herself and her boy. She works two jobs, goes to college and raises this great son, and still finds time to proclaim her faith sweetly. What a splendid person she is, in so many ways, and she's like family to us, and we to her, which makes us very happy.

Her son is every kindergartner you ever met or wanted to meet. He has brains, personality and energy - the greatest combination any kid could have. He would alternate saying funny things, smart things, and random observations, with a witty delivery and natural comic timing. And from spending dinner with him, I can report that the pronunciation of 'spaghetti' has evolved from the 'bisketti' of my childhood to 'masketti' today. I love to be around a child like him. What's worse than a morose mope who just sits there with a downcast look? Give me a little happy smart kid like this young sunshine full of love any old time!

The other night, when we went for New Year's to the restaurant frequented by so many seniors, I felt the presence of experience and wisdom. Being around younger people, I felt love and optimism for the world's tomorrow. Either way, I love people. And we love these two people very, very much. We wish for them all the happiness that life can offer, an inexhaustible supply of the energy and faith that propels them so remarkably, and we are blessed to be in their presence. We will always be there for them in any way!

We had dinner with the future, and it looks great from here!