Farzana Contractor

believes in living life true to her nature. To uphold her missive – live life simply, honestly – she urges us to regain the old style of stress-free living like our forefathers did. When they knew just  how much was enough to be content, happy and healthy

Mistakes are Fine, Imperfections Okay...

It is said whatever you think, you attract. And nothing could have proved that to be righter than when I came across a little snippet which talked about a restaurant, a pop-up in Japan called the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders. The concept of which is so evolved, it reinstated my eroded faith in humanity. I had started to believe that compassion was in a state of horrible decline mode, the world over.

As it happens, Tasha, my pet who is now almost 14 years old, started to go slow. Old age is creeping in, I thought to myself and prayed to God to be kind on my Tasha. I first noticed she wasn’t responding to her name as she generally would – which was instantly! Or reacting to the doorbell at all. Worried, I started to read up on lethargy in an aging dog. Keying in key traits I learnt, it could be memory loss leading to dementia. Dementia… my heart went sinking. No, not my Tashoo, the bubbly, effervescent, full-of-beans baby girl.

Well, with my fingers crossed I started doing everything I learned I should do, to keep forgetfulness at bay. Looking in her eyes, I keep purring her name, I cuddle her, repeat old commands she loved (“let’s go, girl!”, “Tashoo, treat!”). I make her play with the innumerable toys that she has and loves, er… loved. Yes, past tense, for these days she doesn’t seem to go to the toy basket, not even to pick the squeaky toys she was fanatical about.

So while all this was going on in my life I came across this Restaurant of Mistaken Orders and was flabbergasted. Such a compassionate concept, I can’t tell you how soft and vulnerable it made me feel. My faith was reinstated. There are many good people in the world after all.

Restaurant of Mistaken Orders is in Tokyo. It hires only people with dementia to serve its customers. A place where due to the cognitive impairment of the waiters and waitresses, orders could get mixed and deliveries go astray and you could end up eating what you hadn’t ordered in the first place. And yet, while this happens about 37% of the time, 99% of the time diners go away happy and satiated. All this, in a country where mistakes are rarely made or tolerated. Especially in restaurants. And if perchance a trivial mistake did occur the proprietor or manager would go to great lengths to rectify the mistake.

So then how did the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders come about? Well the impetus for starting the pop-up restaurant came from an encounter between the founder, ShiroOguni and a home where people with dementia live, which he had visited. Says Shiro, “Like everybody else, my awareness of dementia at first tended towards negative images of people who were ‘radically forgetful’ and ‘aimlessly wandering about’. But actually they can cook, clean, do laundry, go shopping and do other normal things for themselves. Close-up, they might go a little off-course now and then, but…”

I love the ‘but…’ I mean what a wonderful mind Mr ShiroOguni must have to first conjure the concept and
then have the courage to put his thought into action.

Made possible by many people, the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders, I learn, is a place where mistakes indeed happen. One older woman showed her guests to the table and then sat down with them. Another served hot coffee with a straw. Yet another older woman struggled with a large pepper mill not entirely sure
the pepper would fall where it was needed. Until it did, because everyone at the table pitched in to help her amidst much laughter and encouragement! “The restaurant is not about whether orders are executed incorrectly or not,” says Shiro, the creator, “But about interaction with people who have dementia.”

I am sure you agree with me that this is such a beautiful way of making people impaired with a disability fit
into society, give a meaning to their lives, give them cause for joy, a reason to
smile and laugh and feel good. A great way to look after their welfare. If you ask me I think it goes even further than that. It fosters understanding about the condition among customers, too. Help them understand about dementia. Also help practise patience, see the lighter
side of life when mix-ups happen. Enjoy the surprise element instead of getting angry, “Oh, I asked for sushi but look, I got a steak!”

Culturally, Japan has always been leagues ahead of other nations. Be it in their polite and respectful mannerisms (even in Bombay I have had members of the Japanese Consular Corps bow and present their calling cards, holding it with both hands), the respectful way they speak to each other, the regard they have for the old and elderly, the way they conduct themselves in public life, the society at large. So it comes as no surprise to see how much kindness they must have in their hearts to support such a venture which incorporates a level of compromise, so warmly.

This does teach us that living a life which is so inclusive cannot be anything but good.

Give kindness, get kindness. Laugh, take it easy. Who knows what tomorrow brings.