I entered every store with a new sense of wonder as the automatic doors swung open. Every day I would roam through Cash and Carry, Oh Boy Oberto, Grocery Outlet, Washington Mutual Bank, and Uwajimaya with the helmsman of my daily voyages. He and I traversed these journeys investigating the inner workings of each destination. At first, I believed these trips to be tedious, but as the years went on, they became experiences that I treasured with my best friend, my dad.
My father's errands as a chef and business owner taught me how to navigate this diverse world. Within these experiences I could be anyone I wanted to be: a captain, leading my father around stores; a merchant, persuading my "client" into buying treats for the household; or even an explorer, as I scouted the stores to find undiscovered wonders like the discounted candy section at Uwajimaya. Every visit was a new adventure such that every twist and turn had new lessons to teach me. My father's words still echo through my head when he said "be patient, close your eyes and take in the …show more content…
My father and I waited in line for what felt like forever after scouring the entire store for 2 boxes of Nongshim ramen. So, I did what I do best: lost my patience. I droned on and on about leaving until my father said those special words to me, "stop and take in the world around you". I closed my eyes and then it hit me. The smell of durian and mango and Vietnamese baguettes filled my nose, the frigid air bursting through the eternally open doors as it grazed my exposed ankles, the sounds of clashing pots and pans, bubbling live fish tanks, and yelling, so much yelling as it permeated the store. I heard English, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog...Tagalog? At least I think it was Tagalog. In that short infinity, I experienced the world in its wholesome