I am a human. I am not an angel. I am trying not to be judgemental, but sometimes I make mistakes. Like I did today.

“Dad and I are going out for a dinner tonight,” I was talking with mom over the phone.

“Oh, that’s nice. Where are you two going?” She asked.

“Well, you know, we are not living in a fancy area. And it’s dad who chose a restaurant. So we are going to go to a shabby Izakaya pub nearby.” I said with a hint of disparagement against the gourmet standard of my father.

“Izakaya is nice,” mom said. “Do you remember the small Izakaya near your elementary school?

I do remember that pub. I’ve only seen it from the outside, but it looked really tiny and old.

“Yes, I remember,” I said.

“You know, my late partner and I would go there often. Because he liked that casual atmosphere. That restaurant was, indeed, a hole-in-the-wall. But the people who were running that business were proud of their jobs and had hearty hospitality.”

I realized what my mom was trying to say.

“Thank you for pointing it out, mom,” I said. “I was wrong. Dad and I are going to a very ‘unpretentious’ restaurant tonight, not a ‘shabby’ one.”

“Well then, just remember choosing menu wisely not to get food poisoning.” She said in a very motherly way.

To be honest, I like going to upscale places. I enjoy experiencing finer things. But I should not forget that it is wonderful that there are many restaurants in my neighbourhood where I can visit without bothering about makeup.