IX

The next day people who want to visit the restaurant discover that it is closed at dinner time. They do not understand why and are disappointed. However, three friends soon see Sumati wandering one of the nearby streets, lost in thought. They ask 'im why 'e is not at work. Sumati tells them that 'e is too ashamed of 'imself to go back to the restaurant, because 'e has been cheating on the guests. The three cannot believe their ears, for they are convinced that if Sumati is not honest, no-one is. Sumati tells them 'e has been serving Dutch Wisdom which was neither Dutch nor a piece of wisdom. It was French, and not even correct French at that. In a bout of selfishness 'e had replaced the thinking with waiting.

The three friends are not yet convinced that Sumati is a cheater and an egoist. They point out to 'im that every time Sumati 'imself explains to the guests that the piece of wisdom is Descartes', that Descartes is French but with a strong Dutch connection, and that people do not only exist, because they think but also because they wait, and in a sense even more so. Then they advise Sumati to go back to work, for Amsterdam badly needs a different type of restaurant like Food for Reflection. Sumati answers "I can't". The friends ask "Why not?". And then the real truth comes out, that 'e has been summarily dismissed, and according to Sumati 'imself rightly so, since 'e has not only been cheating on the guests but on 'er boss as well by adding an entirely new item on the menu without consulting 'im first. It was all 'er own fault.

But the friends, who are Dutch natives, are not satisfied with Sumati's explanation at all, and not deceived by 'er humility. They look at Sumati, whose hair is tousled, whose clothes are creased and whose body has lost several kilos in the last couple of days. They look at each other, they talk to each other and they get madder and madder at the owner of Food for Reflection who has turned an excellent employee out into the street only for serving a Dutch dish in addition to all those foreign dishes.

"Is this a multicultural society" the three friends ask themselves, "in which we accept cultures from all over the world, but in which our own culture is not accepted in our own country?"

Sumati overhears them and almost implores them not to take things too seriously. "Please", he says, "keep quiet. I can wait."

"Yes, Sumati, we know you can wait and that's exactly why we take it that seriously. But we, we cannot wait. Wait and see, Sumati!" They shake hands with 'im and hurry away.

X

Probably by the agency of the three friends the news reaches a journalist of a national newspaper. The article in that paper a few days later is only short, but the headline speaks volumes:

RESTAURANT OWNER REFUSES DUTCH WISDOM

It is the first article that appears on the affair and the least inaccurate one. The journalist writes that the Chinese owner of an Amsterdam restaurant, called "Food for Reflection", with dishes from all over the world on the menu has fired a Dutch servant, because 'e considered 'im too intelligent for the job and did not allow 'im to serve Dutch dishes as well. Later articles in other papers call the restaurant "Food for Rejection" and in one case even "Good for Rejection". They mention a Hindustani owner who fired a Dutch waiter or waitress. Some people say that a wise Dutch waiter was fired then and there in a Surinam restaurant, because he served a frikandel to Dutch customers. Others say that a proud Indonesian waitress was fired then and there by the owner of a Dutch restaurant, because it was she who refused to serve a rijsttafel⁶ to the guests, as she considered a meal with such a name a remnant of colonial times. No-one knows anymore what happened exactly in which and how many restaurants, but that some people or things were rejected in Amsterdam on dubious ethnic grounds is clear to everyone. The whole affair almost becomes a race riot.

Neng Congnai seldom reads Dutch newspapers, but 'er parents tell 'im that they have read an article about a Dutch restaurant owner discriminating against an immigrant member of staff. Congnai 'imself hears people behind 'im in the tram talking about a Hindustani restaurant which refused to let native Dutch people in, unless they took off their wooden shoes. On the local radio Congnai hears a program in which someone complains that in a dining club called "Fruitful Erection" a waiter was fired only because it took him seven minutes to get the meal ordered to a white lady customer, whereas the restaurant manager never complained when it took him fourteen minutes to serve a black lady with the same meal. Congnai also hears the rumor about the Indonesian waitress refusing to serve a rijsttafel.

It distresses Neng Congnai that all these articles and stories are about the situation in Amsterdam restaurants. It distresses 'im as someone living in Amsterdam who loves the city, but it distresses 'im even more as the owner of a restaurant. Neng is concerned about the bad reputation Amsterdam restaurants are getting in this way, a bad reputation which will not boost the number of visitors 'e may expect 'imself in the near future. Moreover, in all the stories there is an undertone of racial tension, which is not to Neng's liking either. Even if 'e had a Chinese restaurant for the Chinese only it would be bad, but with 'er present restaurant it would be disastrous if the Dutch society fell apart into separate races or ethnic groups who would not sit in one restaurant with one another.

Neng Congnai is determined to contribute 'er part to the improvement of the reputation of Amsterdam restaurants. 'E needs someone to replace Sumati, because the visitors are still coming but will soon stay away when they find the door of Food for Reflection closed every time. Neng contacts a job center for personnel in the hotel and catering industry and explains that 'e needs someone with a higher education. Secretly 'e hopes they will not send a Chinese or Dutch person, but someone from a totally different ethnic background. That will only promote better race relations.

XI

The job center sends Ihab,⁷ a Dutch citizen of Moroccan extraction. In order to pay for 'er studies 'e has worked in several restaurants, and before that 'e often chauffeured a 'very important person' to meetings and nightclubs. While Neng Congnai does not reckon 'imself among the VIPs and has no ambition to hire a private chauffeur, Ihab's restaurant experience is definitely a great asset. Unfortunately, Ihab keeps on sirring Neng, but this is not yet a serious thing in a time of cultural transition. What is more important is that 'e is a very enthusiastic person; that enthusiasitic that Neng even has to stop 'im now and then.

Thus Ihab is familiar with Avicenna, whom 'e calls "Ibn Sina", and Averroes, whom 'e calls "Ibn Rushd", of which the former lived in Persia 1,000 years ago and the latter in Spain 850 years ago. They are two Islamic philosophers. Averroes was accused by the orthodox Muslims in Spain of cultivating the philosophy of the Greek ancients at the expense of Islam. All 'er books on logic and metaphysics were burned, while Averroes 'imself was exiled to Morocco. Neng Congnai wonders if Ihab knows this. Ihab mentions Avicenna's famous formula, Thought brings about the generality in forms, and suggests that it might be served in the restaurant. There is so much to explain about it. (Universals are there before things in God's understanding; in things in natural objects; and after things in human thought.) In a friendly way Neng points out to Ihab that this formula is, perhaps, too technical for some visitors, but that it is certainly worth considering at a later stage when they may also put a Persian dish on the menu. At the moment such a piece of wisdom can, if used at all, only be used as an ingredient of an Indian or African Wisdom.

Neng Congnai expects that Ihab is a Muslim, altho 'e does not ask 'im on principle. For by asking someone what outlook on life 'e has before 'e is being hired, that person may later claim that 'er outlook on life was the reason for not hiring 'im. It is not that Neng would not consider a Hindu, Christian or Muslim for a vacancy. The thing is that such a person will fit in badly with Food for Reflection, if 'e takes the Vedas, the Bible or the Koran literally from beginning to end. Neng certainly has a prohibitive objection against employing a talking serpent that would subject 'er kitchen to supernaturalist scrutiny. (No-one in 'er right mind will hire a person who calls the creation myth "science" as a biology teacher either.) It is not that Neng does not believe that religious literalists of whatever ethnic background could not be very good at other jobs. They should make excellent taxi drivers, for instance.

When you ask a taxi driver to take you from the international airport near Amsterdam to the Dam Square in the center, 'e should take you to that destination and to no other and 'e should take you there in the shortest or fastest way possible and in no other. A taxi driver is not supposed to ask you what your reason is for going to the Dam Square (let alone, to ask you whether you mean, perhaps, any 'damn square'). A taxi driver is not supposed to ask you why you think the shortest or the fastest way to your destination is the best way to it. You do not expect from 'im a complete picture of all the different routes you could follow, or people have followed in the past, with all their pros and cons. No, if the shortest route does not happen to coincide with the fastest, that is already enough to think and to talk about. For the orthodox believer the destination is as given and as fixed as it is for the taxi driver in 'er role as a taxi driver, and so is the best and only good road to that destination.

If Ihab is not such an orthodox believer, 'er being a Muslim will have considerable advantages too, because 'e will be used to people fasting during the day for a month. And there will be no problem with pork and alcohol, because Food for Reflection serves neither pork nor alcohol. At the most Ihab may have some problem with the English Wisdom, which could be interpreted as betraying a Christian bias. Altogether the applicant seems just the person for the job and Neng tells 'im so. Ihab is very pleased and smiles even more than when 'e came in. For the rest Neng gives 'im the same information as 'e gave to Sumati. Ihab's wages will also be the same, even if 'e will not get a permanent contract rightaway. 'E will first be hired on a temporary basis for three months. Neng, of course, has learned from 'er previous experience.

Having learned from 'er previous experience Neng Congnai has one more thing to say: "Ihab, i trust you wouldn't even think of doing this, but i must urge you to never add anything to the menu without consulting me first." To Ihab this sounds entirely reasonable and 'e may start immediately.

That same evening the first visitors are glad to find Food for Reflection open again. However, when they ask Ihab a Dutch Wisdom for dessert, Ihab answers that it is not on the menu. Those who were at the restaurant before know that and say that it could be ordered nonetheless. They are rather disappointed when Ihab explains to them that 'er boss has told 'im explicitly not to serve anything which is not on the menu. But Ihab advises them not to worry about the Dutch Wisdom and 'e recommends an African Wisdom for dessert instead. Actually, the visitors are pleasantly surprised and like the African Wisdom, except that it is, perhaps, a little bit too sweet.

Yet, there is another problem, which no-one paid much attention to on the first night. It is that when people order a Chinese Wisdom for the main course they do not get it. Every time a Chinese Wisdom is mentioned Ihab's face darkens with some unknown sentiment: 'e takes on a very serious posture and says that the Chinese Wisdom is not available anymore. The only answer Ihab has to the question Why not? is that 'e recommends an African Wisdom instead. If someone asks to see the manager, Ihab answers that the manager, too, is not available, that 'e leaves the running of the restaurant to 'im.

A Dutch guest whose surname is Hanskind has ordered a Chinese Wisdom three times (on three different days) and has heard the same cheap excuses every time again. The guest asks if 'e may see the menu card again, so that 'e can choose something else instead of Chinese Wisdom. When Ihab recommends an African Wisdom for the main course before even having handed over the menu, the guest replies that 'e has had that already three times for dessert. 'E enjoyed it, but 'e would like something more substantive for the main course now. Ihab answers that there is a considerable difference between an African Wisdom for the main course and an African Wisdom for dessert. The guest accepts Ihab's recommendation this time, but meanwhile 'e has seen the small print at the bottom of the menu where it says that the restaurant is owned by some Neng Congnai, who must definitely be a Chinese person with a private number in the telephone directory.

Person Hanskind calls Person Neng the same evening. 'E starts by saying that 'e loves going to Neng's restaurant, that Ihab is an amiable, hard-working servant and that especially the African Wisdom is delicious when served as dessert. It is, perhaps, a little bit too overdone when served as the main course. 'E misses the Dutch Wisdom but it is not on the menu and 'e cannot demand it. There is only one thing Hanskind finds very disappointing: it is that the restaurant has a Chinese Wisdom on the menu, but that it is never available when you ask for it. "That's impossible!" Neng Congnai cries out, knowing very well that the caller would have no reason to lie to 'im.

Just before it is due to open the next day Neng Congnai arrives at the restaurant. Ihab is already there.

Neng Congnai asks Ihab about the visitors. Ihab answers that there first was a drop in the number of visitors, because they do not serve Dutch Wisdom anymore and quite a few people who came insisted on a Dutch Wisdom for dessert. But the people who stay in spite of it like the African Wisdom for dessert. Neng asks Ihab about the dishes. Ihab answers that the African Wisdom is ordered most of all, more than the Indian and English Wisdoms.

"What about the Chinese Wisdom?" Neng Congnai asks.

First there is a moment of silence. Then Ihab replies that there has been no demand for Chinese Wisdom.

Neng Congnai explodes: "No demand for Chinese Wisdom? No demand? People have been asking three times for it on three different days and every time you've been telling them that it was not available!"

Ihab looks at the floor and keeps silent.

"Why did you refuse to serve Chinese Wisdom to my guests in my restaurant?"

"Because, because", says Ihab, "it did not agree with my religion. I couldn't find anything, Sir, in the Chinese books in the kitchen which Allah would fully approve of. And you said, Sir, that i was not allowed to add anything to the menu, so i thought it would be alright if i deleted something from the menu."

"Isn't it a self-evident truth for you that you can't change the menu, neither by adding nor by deleting a dish, without consulting me first? And how could you delete a Chinese Wisdom of all Wisdoms? Don't you understand that no other main course is so wholesome?"

Ihab did not and does not understand. As 'e served on a temporary basis, Neng Congnai only has to pay 'im for the days 'e worked in the restaurant. Neng does not even have to fire 'im. The disgraced servant may leave without further ceremony.

"Get a job as a cabdriver, and you'll also earn more", Neng Congnai thinks to 'imself. Then 'e thinks of one of 'er neighbors who owns several businesses, among which a small taxi company. Just before Ihab is out of sight completely Neng calls 'im back. Ihab looks very gloomy but with a gleam of new hope now. Neng dials 'er neighbor's number and asks 'im whether 'e could use a driver who even chauffeured VIPs around for years. Neng's neighbor answers that there is enough work for such a person, and Neng tells Ihab.

Ihab's face is all lighted up again when 'e receives the name and address of the taxi company of Neng Congnai's neighbor. "Thank you, Sir. Goodbye, Sir", 'e says and leaves for good.

XII

Many things in life are negotiable, but never could Neng Congnai conceive of a restaurant like Food for Reflection without a Chinese Wisdom on the menu. Neng is plunged into sadness. First 'e had no visitors and did not need a servant. Now 'e has the visitors but no servant anymore. The one added a dish on 'er own account, the other deleted one on 'er own account.

Neng Congnai considers again the bad reputation the Amsterdam restaurants may be getting, and the contribution 'e attempted to make to the reduction of racial tension. Could it be that Congnai is so upset about Ihab's refusal to serve Chinese Wisdoms, because 'e is Chinese 'imself? Could the Dutch, perhaps, be equally upset about Congnai's refusal to serve Dutch Wisdoms, because they are Dutch themselves? Of course, pieces of real wisdom are universal and ethnicity should play no part in it at all. And yet, people sometimes like to know where and how a particular piece of wisdom was discovered or developed and by whom. Especially when they decide to go out and have a pleasant evening some information about times and places may add some flavor to the discussion. If Neng had called 'er dishes Universal Wisdom I, Universal Wisdom II, et cetera, no-one could and would have complained about there not being a Dutch Wisdom on the menu. So, in a way, it was Neng 'imself who started it by giving the dishes geographical names.

The more Neng Congnai thinks of it the more 'e realizes that Sumati's decision to add a Dutch Wisdom to the menu was not too outrageous a decision. No doubt, Sumati overstepped the limit by not asking Congnai's permission first. But just as those of Chinese descent have the right to a Chinese Wisdom, so the Dutch natives have the right to a Dutch Wisdom, or at least some kind of European Wisdom, because you cannot compare a small country like Holland to a huge country like China. So the more Neng Congnai thinks of it the more 'e misses Sumati. Sumati was also the one who drew the first visitors to the restaurant with 'er new dessert. Ihab may have managed to keep half of those visitors with a sweet African Wisdom, but with the African Wisdom back to normal proportions, also these visitors may not come back anymore. (We should not forget that Neng's restaurant is in the Netherlands, not in an African country, where hardly anyone would care about a Dutch Wisdom, and rightly so.)

The whole unfortunate episode with Sumati was nothing else than the result of a misunderstanding. Neng Congnai is not an opponent of Dutch wisdom by any manner of means; on the contrary, 'e is very fond of Spinoza and Erasmus. 'E had only fired Sumati, because what 'e served as 'Dutch Wisdom' was French, not Dutch, Wisdom. This was a lie which 'e could not tolerate in a civilized restaurant. But, perhaps, the untruth was not uttered on purpose; and, perhaps, 'er servant had only made a mistake, albeit a serious one. Mistake or no mistake, serious or not serious, Sumati had shown true humility at their last meeting, while Congnai's own reaction had, perhaps, been too strong. "I fear", Congnai thinks to 'imself, "i may have overreacted a little".

It takes some time before Neng Congnai manages to get hold of Sumati, but when 'e does speak to 'im on the telephone, 'e immediately invites Sumati for a quiet talk that same afternoon.

"I'm so terribly sorry", the owner of Food for Reflection begins, "that i lost my temper the last time i saw you. I hope you knew beforehand that i was not infallible, and i hope you will accept my apologies for sending you away. I would be most pleased if you were willing to come back. I will raise your monthly wage. And, Sumati," 'e continues while weighing 'er words more carefully now, "i'll not object anymore to you serving Dutch Wisdom for dessert; except that ... i'm afraid it can't be I think, therefore i am."

"But My Dear Person," Sumati replies. 'E wants to say something important, but Neng Congnai interrupts 'im.

"Dear Sumati, please. We have been knowing each other long enough now and i call you by your given name. So, please, call me by my given name too: Congnai."

"But, ... Congnai, i made it I wait, therefore i am, because when i say it, it is said by a Dutch citizen who waits on the people being served the dish. Later i extended it to the visitors themselves. It's a Dutch variant then of Cogito ergo sum, a Latin saying by a French person who lived in Amsterdam for so many years."

"Yes, yes, Sumati, that's true. I forgot about Descartes' long residence in this city. However, i still think your I wait variant slightly too --what do you call it?-- too --i do not want to offend you in any way-- egocentric." As Sumati remains calm Congnai continues: "You may be right when you say it, but you're still looking at things from your own standpoint then. As hosts we should in the first place consider the position of our guests and only if possible include ourselves."

Sumati must admit that Congnai has a point here. "You know what, My Dear ... Congnai," 'e suggests, "people don't come to Food for Reflection for the ordinary food that feeds the body. They relish the food that feeds the mind. Our guests come to us for the pieces of wisdom which establish and reinforce their personhood. They're even prepared to fast for it. And you know as well as i do, Congnai, that fasting is not at all the same as not eating, for the destitute who have no money for food are not fasting. On the contrary, it is only those who possess food, or who have the means to buy it, who can fast. Fasting is not a privative concept. Not at all. In our restaurant people fast in order to concentrate on thinking about thought, that activity which turns them, more than any other activity, into persons."

"Be hollow, and you shall be filled", Congnai thinks to 'imself. And 'e sees throngs of people on their way to 'er restaurant for philosophical nourishment. "Be the owner of little and you shall obtain".

"Their decision to fast, even if it's only at dinner time, especially at dinner time, i'd say, proves that our guests exist as persons. And this applies to you and me as well. Don't you agree, Congnai?"

"Agree? I couldn't have said it in a better way myself, Sumati. I'm so glad you're back again. The people who come to our restaurant should be delighted for being waited on by a person like you. Let's forget about our past misunderstanding, and about the I think and I wait variants."

"Yes, Congnai, let's forget them."

"From now on, Sumati, our dessert will be the Dutch Wisdom you've proposed."

60.NMY.18-EQU.24