Us vs. them

Now that I have been deemed a good and trustworthy citizen, some of my friends and colleagues are apparently seeing me as "them" rather than "us." In this vein of classifying people in binary opposites, Whitey D recounted yet again a story from a few months ago that entertains her to this day. We went to the vegetarian Indian buffet for lunch, but unfortunately it was closed, and we ended up in the odd and very old-school Chinese restaurant next door. Late fiftiesish Chinoiserie decor, aged and slightly decrepit waiters, everything red and gold and the food pretty Americanized. Anyway, at the meal's end our aged and decrepit (but kindly) waiter shuffled on over with two plates of fortune cookies and orange slices. "This is for the lady," he said, handing one plate to Whitey D. He paused. "And this is for you," he said, handing me the other.

(The fortune, btw, was pretty good, and is taped here over my desk: "First learn to "give" and then the universe will reward you." Still wondering why "give" is in quotes there...)