Straight Tea
Monday, November 19, 2007 at 00:00
By Marcel Strigberger
We visited a nearby quaint town just outside of Toronto, recently on a sunny afternoon. Around high tea time we came across a little tea garden that attracted our attention by the size of the crowd that was gathering to enjoy light refreshments under the huge magnificent oak trees.
But this was a restaurant with a difference. It was buffet style, but with no cashier in sight. You just put what you wanted on the tray and enjoyed it in the garden. On your way out you were expected to take a detour through the neighbouring gift shop, see the cashier there and declare to her what you had to drink or nibble.
The place's income depended entirely on the honour system.
I thought to myself that times being what they were the outfit could no doubt get short changed. After all there is a reasonable possibility for some ravenous but perfectly honest individual to finish his vittles, take a few deep breaths of fresh country air and forget just how ravenous he actually was.
He or she might just miss that obscure detour to the gift shop while in this state of euphoria. Alternatively when asked by the good cashier, he might simply say, "Oh yeah, I did have some ice tea, I think."
But a strange thing happened. I noticed that the patrons bent over backwards to be honest. Actually they more than bent over backwards.
Firstly I observed a lank elderly gentleman who walked over to the cashier after consuming only a beverage. The cashier asked him what he had purchased and he declared a cup of tea. When asked if he had anything to eat, he said, “I’m not sure. But those carrot muffins looked delicious. Why don't I pay you for a muffin too."
The gentleman paid for the phantom muffin and left appearing very content.
A couple of minutes later a young couple sauntered over to the cash. Maggie and Davey as they apparently called one another, each had bought a cold fruit juice and a date square. I am certain that's all they bought because they had stood in line in front of us and they scooped up the last two fluffy date squares depriving my wife Shoshana and I of this pleasure. And I remembered being annoyed at them for hoarding the date squares.
They too were suddenly hit by an overdose of honesty. Without even being asked by the cashier, Davey said, "We had two juices and four date squares. The date squares were superb, out of this world."
Like I said the guy was an obvious glutton.
The cashier rang up the tab for four date squares which no doubt included the two my wife and I would have bought had they been in existence. I thought to myself that on the other hand at least this guy was treating. A gentleman indeed.
As they left, the man said to me, "Have you tried the date squares?"
I noticed that the honour system was working overtime as by now massive and inexplicable integrity was becoming contagious, affecting even non customers.
One man came right off the street, walked over to the gift shop, selected a couple of post cards and paid for them. As he was about to leave I said to him, "The coffee here is excellent."
"Really?" He remarked. With that comment he took a loonie out of his pocket and handed it to the cashier. "That's for the great coffee," he said.
Our turn to pay came up. I did not know what had overcome the other patrons but I was determined to just pay for what we had ordered and to make our escape. After all we hadn't eaten any magic lotus which might bring on a sudden surge of generosity.
The cashier gave us a radiant smile. Her face was saying something like, "This place is run by an orphanage. It is here for your benefit so that you can enjoy a refreshing respite in the country. Be our guest. Payment for the refreshments is secondary really."
I told her we had had two coffees. But suddenly I was overwhelmed with a sudden burst of guilt. I said, "I'm really sorry that's all I had. I would have had the date squares but Davey ate them all.
She nodded understandably.
I added, "I will however buy that five foot Teddy bear from your gift shop. And give me a dozen postcards as well. You pick them. Is that alright?"
She indicated that it wasn't really necessary but that my patronage was appreciated.
After we left I had a thought. As we are all probably honest at heart, wouldn't it be interesting if the spirit of that tea garden would infect all witnesses taking the stand in our courtrooms? It would certainly make the job of lawyers easier. We'd never have to cross-examine. The presiding justice would always comment, "I find that both sides were credible."
Date square anyone?
We visited a nearby quaint town just outside of Toronto, recently on a sunny afternoon. Around high tea time we came across a little tea garden that attracted our attention by the size of the crowd that was gathering to enjoy light refreshments under the huge magnificent oak trees.
But this was a restaurant with a difference. It was buffet style, but with no cashier in sight. You just put what you wanted on the tray and enjoyed it in the garden. On your way out you were expected to take a detour through the neighbouring gift shop, see the cashier there and declare to her what you had to drink or nibble.
The place's income depended entirely on the honour system.
I thought to myself that times being what they were the outfit could no doubt get short changed. After all there is a reasonable possibility for some ravenous but perfectly honest individual to finish his vittles, take a few deep breaths of fresh country air and forget just how ravenous he actually was.
He or she might just miss that obscure detour to the gift shop while in this state of euphoria. Alternatively when asked by the good cashier, he might simply say, "Oh yeah, I did have some ice tea, I think."
But a strange thing happened. I noticed that the patrons bent over backwards to be honest. Actually they more than bent over backwards.
Firstly I observed a lank elderly gentleman who walked over to the cashier after consuming only a beverage. The cashier asked him what he had purchased and he declared a cup of tea. When asked if he had anything to eat, he said, “I’m not sure. But those carrot muffins looked delicious. Why don't I pay you for a muffin too."
The gentleman paid for the phantom muffin and left appearing very content.
A couple of minutes later a young couple sauntered over to the cash. Maggie and Davey as they apparently called one another, each had bought a cold fruit juice and a date square. I am certain that's all they bought because they had stood in line in front of us and they scooped up the last two fluffy date squares depriving my wife Shoshana and I of this pleasure. And I remembered being annoyed at them for hoarding the date squares.
They too were suddenly hit by an overdose of honesty. Without even being asked by the cashier, Davey said, "We had two juices and four date squares. The date squares were superb, out of this world."
Like I said the guy was an obvious glutton.
The cashier rang up the tab for four date squares which no doubt included the two my wife and I would have bought had they been in existence. I thought to myself that on the other hand at least this guy was treating. A gentleman indeed.
As they left, the man said to me, "Have you tried the date squares?"
I noticed that the honour system was working overtime as by now massive and inexplicable integrity was becoming contagious, affecting even non customers.
One man came right off the street, walked over to the gift shop, selected a couple of post cards and paid for them. As he was about to leave I said to him, "The coffee here is excellent."
"Really?" He remarked. With that comment he took a loonie out of his pocket and handed it to the cashier. "That's for the great coffee," he said.
Our turn to pay came up. I did not know what had overcome the other patrons but I was determined to just pay for what we had ordered and to make our escape. After all we hadn't eaten any magic lotus which might bring on a sudden surge of generosity.
The cashier gave us a radiant smile. Her face was saying something like, "This place is run by an orphanage. It is here for your benefit so that you can enjoy a refreshing respite in the country. Be our guest. Payment for the refreshments is secondary really."
I told her we had had two coffees. But suddenly I was overwhelmed with a sudden burst of guilt. I said, "I'm really sorry that's all I had. I would have had the date squares but Davey ate them all.
She nodded understandably.
I added, "I will however buy that five foot Teddy bear from your gift shop. And give me a dozen postcards as well. You pick them. Is that alright?"
She indicated that it wasn't really necessary but that my patronage was appreciated.
After we left I had a thought. As we are all probably honest at heart, wouldn't it be interesting if the spirit of that tea garden would infect all witnesses taking the stand in our courtrooms? It would certainly make the job of lawyers easier. We'd never have to cross-examine. The presiding justice would always comment, "I find that both sides were credible."
Date square anyone?
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© 2007 Marcel Strigberger. This article CANNOT be copied or reproduced in any way without the expressed written consent of the Author.
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