Mr. Harris, Your Table is Ready...

I called my 34 year old son Brad, for lunch today. He said he was sitting around his office just working, why not? I suggested our favorite Chinese restaurant that we have been going to for a gazillion years, but Brad has been visiting the gym of late and wanted to eat "healthy". I'm hearing a lot of that lately. Ah, Mexican food, aye? Again he commented on eating in a "healthy" fashion and suggested someplace that he does business with, not too far from either of us. It was called the Capital Grill and I had no reason to think that it was anything but a grill that he wanted to eat at. When he told me it was located in the Biltmore Shopping Center, I figured it to be an upscale grill, still no whoopee..

I arrived right on time and looked for the place. I asked a young girl that had parked next to me, but to no avail. I not only scared the crap out of her, but she was so upset by a stranger speaking with her, that she turned around and walked right into her car door. I'm sure she was okay and I split, entering the shopping center in search of the elusive Capital Grill. The first man I asked just nodded his head, no. The next place was the Biltmore Shopping Center Visitors Center. A pleasant young girl asked me where I was from and frankly, I was running late and too embarrassed to tell her I'm from right here in town, but I just don't get out much. That's when my phone rang and it was Brad wanting to know what kept me. I told him I was here, but just can't seem to find the joint.

Finally, Brad said he could see me, just to follow his voice. Very funny, where are you??? I was looking for Brad, my son, not a tall thin man wearing a suit and well groomed and appearing to be a fashion model. I continued to talk into my cell phone, even though Brad had hung up.

There I was, having come from the auto auction, wearing my Costco gym shoes, a pair of old Levis, a shirt that Brad must have bought me for my 50th birthday (it was old) and my new, looks like suede, but isn't, Costco jacket that I'm so proud of. A fashion statement I was not making. We opened the large Mahogany doors and entered cautiously. The hostess said, "hello Mr. Harris, your table is ready, right this way". This was about 3 seconds after she just told someone that it was about a 20 minute wait. I was all full of, what the, how did, is she a ??? Brad explained that he eats there all of the time and the manager is a friend of his and he called ahead..

You know, I went from Art Harris' son to Brad Harris' father, I'm not sure if I was ever just me! Are you understanding my point. In life, you wear a number of hats, you're someones son and then you become someones father, while the time that you are just you, blows by. I'm having a hard time remembering stopping to smell the roses.

You know, in spite of my son's movie star looks and widespread worldly connections, guess who got stuck with the check?

Mel

1-29-08