Delightful Dining

Last night, I ventured to Sienna’s Pizzeria in Rockville with my research team. After quickly scanning the crowd, I mentioned to one of my “co-workers” how strange it was for me to go to a kosher restaurant and not know anyone, (this being a rare occurrence.) A few moments after the words escaped my lips, I spotted a guy who looked a bit out of place. Dressed in a nice suit and sporting a large velvet yarmulke and thick briskers, he stood in stark contrast to the rest of the, er, more *modern* crowd. Then it hit me—shidduch date. Scurrying past his table to fill my soda, I realized he happened to be sitting with a girl from my high school class. Weird. I couldn’t help but smirk when I noticed them eating their pizza with forks and knives. If Seinfeld could see them now… (I started wondering what was funnier: Watching them or thinking about one of my friends who ate sushi with a fork and knife since she was on a date. Hmm…toss up.)Let’s summarize here: they drove at least an hour and a half out of Baltimore into the middle of nowhere (Rockville: perfect for the modern Stone Age family) in search of some place where they’d go undetected…only to run into little ol’ me…Don’t worry, I behaved and kept my distance. It wasn’t till they were on their way out that she actually acknowledged me. Naturally, no outing with a secular group can conclude without a round of amusing questions: Last night’s included: “Deborah, do you also have to wear such fancy clothes to go to a pizza shop with a guy?” I was tempted to say. “Well, it depends on your circles..” I decided a simple “No” would suffice.