We don’t go out to dinner very often, or when we do, we’ve
tended to stick to the same trusted places where the food is decent, we’ve
never got sick, and our kids are welcome. Last night we went out of our comfort
zone and tried a new place: Applebee's on Hamra Street. As soon as we walked in, the waiter/host handed Abraham a balloon, one that had
been inflated with helium, and I thought, “this looks very promising.” We were told
to go upstairs where we would find a waiter and a table waiting for us, and
just as we were starting to climb the stairs, our host said, “Wait! I’ve got
something for the children!” I thought, “Classic American custom to provide the
children with crayons and coloring paper, which will keep Abraham happy while
we wait for the food. I like this place already!” The guy walked over to his
hosting table where he had a box with toy sets – the Made In China kind with a
set of toys placed on a cardboard background covered in plastic. “Wow, not
crayons, but actual favors: toys!” When he handed one set to each of the boys my smile froze
and their eyes lit up, “Awesome!”
Here’s what the toy set contained: A real-looking gun with
plastic orange bullets – the kind that sticks on a window, a bullet holder that
conveniently clips onto your clothing, a badge with some kind of bird on it,
and a hand grenade.
It’s hard to say how you should react in a situation like
this. The fact that an American restaurant, Applebee's, hands out toy weapons to
children is already, well, quite tasteless (I doubt the American management
would be very happy if they knew), and in LEBANON! At-war-with-Israel Lebanon. AND
while just a few miles away, in neighboring Syria, people are being hurt with
weapons that look just like these, right this moment, fighting for their own
Arab Spring.
For a start.
It’s so incredibly inappropriate, Courtney and I reacted the
only way we could: we laughed out loud and shook out heads, “Oh, Lebanon…” Since
we had just watched the news together earlier with footage from Homs (the
broadcaster was reporting from Beirut, not far from us), even the boys got the
irony.
How was the meal experience in general? Standard American
Applebee's. The food was not extraordinary, but not too bad. Chewy steaks, good wings, great milkshakes. Good service. We left with full tummies and very happy kids, not sure if we should be laughing or crying. Mind
reeling.
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