ENTERTAINING EATERY

We head for the recommended eatery located in the Chapter One Bookstore which is squeezed into a very small space in the back and down some stairs. Akasha Organics is an intriguing little place with East Indian items, health food, organic produce, and an interesting menu. There are only three tables and a counter with about three stools, and about that many customers. We look around, get our bearings, and check out the menu. A gentleman at the counter is conversing with one of the servers behind the counter and raving about his salad, especially the dressing. It looks yummy to us and wonder which of the menu items it is. Reading the menu, we determine which items we want to try and ask for a few clarifications before placing our order at the counter and then taking seats available at the only empty table.

 

Adding to our experience in this delightful eatery is a curious patron…a women of rather large physical stature wearing a variety of layers of clothing, a scarf over her head and sturdy, well worn hiking type boots…..a ‘mountain’ woman. She is speaking with a rich but quiet voice in an intense conversation with several different people at her table. Her cell phone rings and she apologizes to us suggesting the annoyance is similar to a ‘fart in public’!  At times, she speaks in a different language which she explains to her companions is Shoshone.  A younger man arrives dressed in camouflage, carrying a backpack, wearing a camouflage hat which when removed, exposes short hair with a bleached ‘Mohawk’ streak.  In his ears are 5/8 -3/4 inch round earrings of jade (both sides of the ears the same size pieces) He gives the “Mountain Woman”  a small handful of peeled twigs of some sort. She is ecstatic (in her quiet way) to receive them. She immediately takes them to a shrine by the counter for a blessing and an offering (leaving one), then offers samples to her companions to eat saying it is like bread or the ‘mana’ in the bible and they are  breaking bread as Jesus did….a very different, interesting, and entertaining lady in a very different, interesting and entertaining eatery!