Exhibit #1) A week ago today, the first Friday of Lent. We decide to go out to lunch for my co-worker's last day. We go to a more upscale restaurant within our office building because of location and because the leader of the pack is convinced that he gets better treatment there because the "guys know him there". The fact that he gets better and is "known" to the guys could be the fact that he puts away a 5th of vodka a night there, but that is a story for another time. So I comment to someone thought to be going in the group that I hope this place has a special of fish/seafood of sorts because it is Friday. He looked at me funny and asked why and I said, "because I'm Catholic and it is Friday." He responded in the affirmative, so I added "...and it is Lent." His response was "Yeah, I'm catholic too, but I'm not falling for that trick. It is optional." I laughed and said "okay". He later no-showed to the lunch upon which I inquired if it was his heel spurs acting up again...
Upon going to this lunch I encounter a $30 salad for trying to be a good Catholic. I don't know if I previously clued you in on my $30 lunch. I was so not happy, because it wasn't even a great salad! I ordered a Thai Chicken Salad and asked if I could get Shrimp in place of Chicken. The waitperson said sure, no problem. Well, yeah, until I got my bill! My salad was $10, the shrimp was $6. My coke was $3. My side of pasta salad (to ensure that I got my main course salad at the same time as everyone else's lunch) was $3. I'm now up to $22. Add tax and a 20% tip and my bill now totals: $27.98, so I put in $30 and figured my $2.02 could go toward the co-worker's lunch. Now I've spent some coin on meals before and don't usually complain, but when the food sucks, you are the only non-heathen, and you aren't pre-warned that your meal is going to practically double in price exchanging seafood for the meat, then I'm going to bitch about a $30 crappy meal...
Exhibit #2) This morning I had to leave and go somewhere for breakfast. I picked a Bob Evans, which was probably a mistake, but I ordered hotcakes to avoid the sausage gravy that I really wanted! The crabby waitress (some people shouldn't be wait staff and when you are in your 50's or 60's and still crabby because you are a waitress, I suggest you turn in your pencil, your nametag and your hairnet. So I ordered the hotcakes and she asks if I want a side of meet with that. Of course I do, but I'm not carrying sausage links in my pocket until Saturday! So I respond, while smiling~"No, I can't. It is Friday!" She looks at me strange and then I did the whole 'I'm catholic and it is lent.' Do you know what the crabby waitress said and did? You will never guess!! She said, "Oh...[rolled her eyes at me]...whatever." So I ate my pancakes, which weren't all that great (and certainly were not nearly as good as the Pancake House!) waited for my call and left.
But after this 2nd encounter it lead me to ponder: Am I the only Catholic out there falling for this old trick refraining from meat on Fridays during lent?
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