Mr. Laughs, David Olney, and the Primary!
Owen cooked dinner for Ernie and me last night. Grilled smoked paprika chicken with kale and chickpeas. He needed a bit of advice on the kale and chickpeas but handled it masterfully and of course his grilling skills are already without question. He set the table, even got out flint glass tumblers for our water and filled the Etched Dakota water pitcher he gave me with ice water for our refreshment. He waited on us formally. When he wasn't acting as our waiter he would charge in and join us (Leo chose not to join us which was fine...we're in easy spring break mode) in his Mr. Laughs persona. He invented Mr. Laughs when he was very little and we don't see him all that much anymore. Mr. Laughs is basically Owen channeling some old Borscht Belt comedian. He swept in last night saying, "sorry I'm late but I had to walk. What is it with the GAS prices?" and then he went into some joke I'm afraid I don't recall. When he thought we might need a waiter he would depart as Mr. Laughs saying he had to go to the restroom or go lock his car (although we pointed out he'd walked) and disappear into the kitchen only to reappear as his formal waiter. At one point Mr. Laughs said, "have you looked this place up online? One guy named Owen does EVERYTHING."
He asked us if we wanted to retire to the television room for our dessert. We acquiesced and were then served ice cream and brownies. Later he delivered the check to Ernie. It was 25 cents plus tip. I told Ernie to make sure to tip well---the food was fantastic and the service impeccable....
Lest you think our whole night was idyllic rest assured that by the end of the night 3 family members all got pissed at each other...the lucky one was already asleep. That dinner makes up for a plethora of sins however. Looking at Ernie's little smile as he watched Owen work madly.....watching Owen fly around the kitchen only to calmly glide into the diningroom and call me ma'am.....
In other news....GO VOTE! It's the primary....AND David Olney's new mini-album THE STONE is released today. I just ordered mine and I suggest you do the same. It's a measly $10 folks....for David's take on the greatest story ever told....