Lost In Translation

It's amazing to me sometimes just how prevalent Facebook has become these days. Friend and I were out enjoying what North Georgia had to offer one weekend afternoon (antiquing and avoiding the tourists) when a visit to the local Chinese buffet sounded like a good idea. At this particular restaurant they have a row of American food as well as two rows of Chinese food which is good because I do like a little spicy meatloaf with my egg drop soup. The food is normally good, depending on what time of day you get there. In case you were wondering, the best time to go to a buffet restaurant is about 45 minutes after it has opened (leftovers from the day before have usually been eaten by this time) or about 5:30 p.m. (when the food that has been sitting since morning has been removed and fresh food for dinner has been served.) If you go mid afternoon or 15 minutes before they close then you're solely responsible for the consequences: hardened, dry food that has developed a crust on it or no food at all. (Just don't say I didn't warn you.) The proprietor of the restaurant, a nice oriental lady, would periodically make her way through the restaurant, smile at the patrons, walk to the buffet area and stir everything that was sitting under the glowing heat lamps and then return to the front where she also manned the cash register. In between these activities, of which I was soon to find out, she was at her computer totally engrossed in an animated adventure called Cafe World. Cafe World is one of the many addicting games on Facebook. Not only was the lady running a real restaurant, she was also running a virtual one. (Not sure if she did the same things at her virtual restaurant.) When we approached the counter to pay I made a comment (like I always do) about her playing and said I like to play Words With Friends. "Oh, not me." she said. "I not spell so good. I like Farmville and Cafe World, no spelling or Engwish involved." It was at that particular time when I looked down and saw the handwritten sign that I have seen in more than one Chinese restaurant on more than one occasion. The sign read 'We no accept checke'.