The Best and The Worst

The Best part of my job as a Sushi Chef is, without a doubt, also the worst. It's the people. Whether its coworkers or customers, they make or break my day. Working with the public, particularly in a serving capacity, jades you to the human race. You find yourself continually disappointed with the shortcomings of mankind.

However, there are glimmers of hope here and there. We have no televisions in our restaurant, mostly because we don't want people to linger. This has a side effect though. People actually have to talk to each other. I had a man tell me once that his body produced electrical charges in sufficient amounts so that he could kill everyone in the restaurant if he wanted, but not to worry, he wasn't going to do that. I've also had deep debates about politics, the environment and God. And this is all while I'm getting paid to slice fish and pack rice.

There is something intimate about providing a meal to someone, the giving and receiving of something that sustains life a little bit at a time that brings out interesting sides to people. It is why I think more families really should eat together, without the television, or music, or anything but food and their thoughts on their day, their future and their past.

This brings me to our most recent topic of sushi bar discussion. Given, that in a lifetime, there can only be one Best Day; what are the chances you've already lived yours? What if it never really gets better than that? Does this mean you're on the downslope? Is it logical that the longer you live the more likely it is that you've already had your Best Day? Is it possible you've had your Best Day but not your Worst?

Think about this....

People so far fall into two camps. The first, are the people who are pretty sure they've had their Best Day already (largely because they are going through what they perceive to be a traumatic life event right now). These people are immediately dragged down by this question, and tend to shoot the messenger.

The second camp are the ones who think the idea of a best day, rating your days, even thinking about whether there is such a thing, is stupid and a waste of what could be your Best Day. I liked my father's answer the best, basically that time is an illusion, there is no past and no future, there is only Now.

But it's mealtime, one of the few things where we're not assaulted by outside stimulation except the simple act of eating that draws these questions to the forefront of our minds, and I'm thankful that I can be a part of that, regardless of whether or not I have the answer to life's many questions.