CULTURE

Unreasonable Hospitality — But Only for the “Right” People

Kindness from strangers and bias from your own is a jarring reality

5 min read

Just now

An Indian girl smiling at the camera — Photo by NONRESIDENT on Unsplash

I am not a celebrity, but I expect to be treated well at restaurants. Is that too much to ask?

Sometimes yes, from my own people.

My hands tremble as I reach for my water glass, and my eyes sting with tears. I blink rapidly, trying to hide the dam breaking behind them, and grab the menu for cover.

I am at my favorite breakfast spot in Soho. It is a bustling place filled with locals, visitors, and celebrities during the Saturday brunch hour. This is a place I visited long before I moved to the city, and since I'm ordinary, I am certain they don't remember me.

Walking through these familiar doors this morning brings back memories of family visits, laughter, and my goldendoodle, Mr. Dempsey, sitting quietly at my side under the table.

Now I am alone and vulnerable. Dempsey died a few days earlier, and I am uncertain how to go on without him.

I order my usual: hot tea, chicken kabobs, and the one fried item I allow myself without guilt. They know how to fry eggplant perfectly, crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.