Sunday, May 10, 2015

Manners

I had it wrong the first time.

Pak Yudi was still parking his car, so it’s just Bu Nana and I who went to meet them at the hotel lobby. With introductions out of the way, we start heading to Sate Khas Senayan. It occured to me, that maybe I should ready the table for them, just in case the place is full? It is Friday night after all, and as it is, Jakarta has too many people. So I bade my leave awkwardly.

To find that my initiative was practically useless: only a third of the tables were occupied. I easily spotted a table of six that would be good for the five of us, and waiting, fidgeting, thinking that I had it wrong the first time. If I had just stayed, building rapport with them would have been easier with small talks.