The other day, my son, a third-year junior high school student, got a good score on a test at school.
I asked, "Do you want me to buy you a reward?" but my son's response surprised me.
"No, getting a good score is already a reward, so I don't need any more rewards."
...Oh, wow. Is that so? That's strange.
That's what I thought at the time, but when I thought about it later, I realized that what my son was saying did make sense.
The things you have studied hard for. You are the one who knows it best, or rather, only you know it.
Their efforts were recognized with a good score.
So the evaluation I received is proof that my efforts have been recognized, and I'm happy about that. In fact, there's nothing more satisfying than that.
When a father, without realizing how hard you've worked, says something like "I'll give you a Haagen-Dazs," it just seems like he's taking advantage of the results that have come about by chance and taking the action of rewarding himself.
I'm happy when I'm praised for my efforts, not for my results. I don't really like it when someone comes forward and praises me without really understanding what's going on and just looks at the results.
I thought that might have been how he felt.
I thought he could have just said something more light-hearted, without taking it so seriously, like, "Okay, buy me a Monao" or "Can I have a Morinaga Paris Paribare (vanilla)," but I also thought that it's just his personality that he doesn't want rewards from other people.
(By the way, I never said anything about wanting ice cream.)
Speaking of rewards, something nice happened to me recently.
One night, a woman with her hair tied up and dressed neatly and formally appeared alone.
I thought, "Wow, she's a beautiful woman who makes me feel a bit nervous," but then I got ready.
"It's me, S!"
He then pushed his mask aside and smiled.
a!
It was S-chan, who worked part-time at Bokumo when I was a university student and a graduate student.
It seemed she had returned to Nagoya to attend the wedding reception of a university friend, and stopped by our shop on the way there.
S-chan is a very capable person and has worked hard in many areas at our store for over five years, including efficient work, interacting with customers, and participating in events.
Furthermore, when he left Nagoya for work, he sent his junior from the club, K-kun, to Bokumo, which had a vacancy, as a parting gift. K-kun was also an extremely capable boy, loved by the customers, and worked hard until he graduated from university.
Apparently, K-kun was also attending the same wedding party that day, and he arrived at the counter a little late.
In other words, my university senior S-chan and junior K-kun were lined up at the counter of Bokumo, the part-time job that holds so many memories for me. And on my other side of the counter was me, who knew the two of them in their younger days. As I listened to the two of them talk about their current situations now that they're a bit older, I couldn't help but grin.
Well, if this isn't a reward, then I don't know what is.
It's been 12 years since I started the restaurant business.
It's great to see the staff who used to work here come back and give us updates. There have been good and bad times over the past 12 years, but I'm glad I continued.
It was an affirmation of the 12 years that the chef and I have spent here. It was a recognition that this is a place to return to. That's how I felt.
I see. If someone were to say to me now, "You've worked hard to keep going. Want to give me a reward?" I think I would probably answer, "No, I've already received my reward, so it's okay."
Maybe this is how you feel, son.
By the way, S-chan said at the counter, "Wow, this situation is so emotional." I see, so this is what they call emotional. I learned something new.
Next time my son gets a good grade, I think I'll ask him, "How's that? Is it emotional?"
This week's pairing suggestions
"Salmon pie."
Salmon and potato stuffing wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven.
It is placed on top of a sauce made with egg yolk and sprinkled with dukkah, which is becoming a standard spice at Bokumo.
This menu, which debuted during the COVID-19 pandemic, has quickly become popular and a regular item.
The perfect pairing is orange wine , especially Pinot Gris .
Green Songs Amber Pinot Gris 2020
This is an orange wine made by Kohei Koyama, a Japanese wine maker in New Zealand. It has the freshness of a white wine, but the astringency of the skin adds a delicious complexity.
The moderate spiciness blends perfectly with the dukkah-topped pie.
