That was fetched and they fell to. But Roy hadn’t eaten more than two bites before he stopped and looked at the purser.
“That omelette is the best thing I ever tasted,” he commented.
“Wait till the chicken omelette comes,” smiled the purser.
They ate the ham omelette and nibbled at the chop suey as a side-dish. Then the waiter brought the chicken omelette and the fried noodles. The chicken omelette wasn’t so much unlike a good chicken potpie, but it was more delicious than any chicken dish Roy had ever eaten. The noodles were curious little slivers of dough fried crisp and covered with gravy. They were good, too. But Roy was sure he had never tasted anything so delicious as the two omelettes. He ate until he could hold no more.
When they left the restaurant Roy thanked the purser for the treat. “I’m obliged to you for the food,” he said, “but I’m more obliged to you for showing me something new. I might never have known about the Chinese way of cooking if it hadn’t been for this experience.”
“Good!” smiled the purser. “I’m glad you put it that way. Lots of people lose a great deal of fun and happiness in this life because they aren’t willing to try new things. The older we get, the worse our prejudices become.”
Roy’s face grew serious at once. “I should say so,” he answered. “Look at Captain Lansford. Why, his ship is a thousand times safer because he has a wireless outfit. Yet he doesn’t like it at all. It hardly seems possible that anybody can be so unreasonable.”
“It does not. Yet the world is full of such foolish prejudices.”
“Well,” sighed Roy, “I hope that I’ll never get like that.”