My Brother-in-law and Other Stories
In a Chinese-Italian restaurant
While in Rome, we visited the Colegio Filipino. No it is not a school but more of a home to the Filipino religious who are there on visit or to study. There a resident sister recommended that we try a good dinner at a Chinese-Italian restaurant along the same street at Via Aurelia.
It was our free evening and so we went. The menu book was in Italian and, not understanding a word of it, we opted to place one order for the special menu of the day posted on the wall. My wife who was nursing a cold due to the sudden change of weather had no appetite to eat and she just asked for a cup of hot tea. I took a bottle of beer for myself while waiting for the order.
However, when the order came, there were two sets of the menu served - one for me and one for my wife.
We told the waitress that it is a mistake because our order was only for one. Why are we being served two? At this point, the fellow at the cash register who, apparently, was the manager or owner, intervened and said. "No, you two, order two."
My wife and I looked at each other. I said this could not be because we ordered only one set of the menu and we will take also one and return the other. However we explained, it was futile because we cannot understand each other.
I was battling in my mind whether to just pay and leave so there will be no more argument. While thinking things over, I decided to take another beer while my wife sipped her tea. We did not touch the food.
After downing two bottles, I felt my ears getting red. I decided that the situation must be resolved. So I stood up and went straight to the cashier and told him. We are leaving. Please call the police!
"Police" was the magic word! He was taken aback and forthwith called his waitress to get back one set of the food from the table.
"All right," we told the waitress, "have what we ordered wrapped up and give us the check!"