Nice to be known

Spend 15 years in one place and for sure you will be recognized. I'll miss that when we move. But then again, maybe it won't take that long to be recognized. We've only been in Sunnyvale for 3 years and we're "regulars" in lots of places.

Pho Saigon - Not only do they know our faces and kids, I think they know our order too.
Oakmont Produce - Checker tonight just said, "What, no kids tonight?"
Elegance Hair - When calling for an appt with Jimmy, I said, "Haircut for 2 boys" and he goes, "Oh yeah, I know who you are!"

But that doesn't quite rival recognizing servers in Chinese restaurants, even when they change restaurants. Or chatting it up with the owner (?) of the Los Altos Hunan Homes while running into her at a Chinese bookstore. It's one thing to recognize people around town when they are in their context, but to recognize them outside of context, it's almost like being an actual acquaintance. Or maybe finally Mr. Lee at Joy Luck San Mateo will recognize me (and give me a table without reservations?) without my dad in tow.

Maybe this is why Tom really would like a small town feel to wherever we move. A "downtown" would be nice. A sense of community, that for me, the same people will be there every time you go and for them, that I will keep going too. I hope that now with the consistency of kids and school, it won't take us 15 years to feel like we're really IN the community.