The Messiah

I used to eat at this cool lunch place just a 15 minute walk from my office. I used to tell people that "The Messiah" worked there. She remembered the faces of the regulars, and could remember your order. It wasn't simply a matter of remembering "my usual," she was far more amazing than that. A typical exchange would go as follows,

Me: "I'll have that fish thing I had a couple of months back."
Messiah: "It was the fish and veggie hot pot with garlic sauce. Sure."

Here, you'll note that she's highlighted my order in orange pen, for just the right amont of spicy for my palate.

Me: "Oh, and that guy I usually come in with, he wants me to bring him back something. What do you recommend?"
Messiah: "The tall blonde guy, right? Sure, I can get him something."

And so forth for my first few years in GradShitTownVille. It was a sad day last summer when the father of the Messiah, the owner of the place, decided to retire and sell the place. He supposedly taught the new guys how to cook, but it just wasn't the same without the Messiah.

Today, however, was a glorious day. The Messiah has returned to my life. I just found out that she's opened her own place, even closer to my office. I have the option of Indian, Thai, Chinese, or Japanese food now, and yes, she still remembers me. Today, I ate the Spicy Fish with Lemongrass and it was divine. The portions are just as generous at the old place, so I can count on my $8.10 feeding me both lunch and dinner.

We could pause here, and wonder if all this means I have gone from being a Jew to a Christian, seeing that the Messiah has returned, but that's all really very silly.