Daily Observations, Pt II

This is the second edition of this series we will call this one:

"Just Trying to Eat"

I stopped by a local fast food chain early Saturday morning to pick up some breakfast after coming from the barber shop. When I pulled up the drive-thru the line was wrapped around the building so I parked and went in.

As I am walking up to the door past all of the big, nice, new Pickups and SUV's (one of which was my own so I am jabbing myself too) you could not help but notice a hoop-d parked right at the entrance. This car was in dire need of paint, it had no front bumper, major damage on the left front passenger side, and the back bumper was hanging. Inside the car was a middle-aged White woman that appeared to be styling her hair as if she was coming in for an interview.

So I went in and placed my order, and shortly after she entered, she had a noticeable limp, and the little bit of styling she was tyring to do in the car appeared not to have helped much at all. She walked up to the counter and asked to speak to the manager. I was assuming she was inquiring about a job, but she started in with this crazy story about what had happened to her the night before, and how she did not get all of the food that she had ordered, and she had called numerous times to talk to someone about it. It was more than obvious a fabrication, and the manager asked if she had her receipt. Of course she was unable to find it.

At this point between the fact that they were very busy, and he probably really didn't care he went ahead and gave her what she asked for without argument.

The woman looked relieved.... The 2 things I found interesting in this observation:

1) The fact that I am in a neighborhood where the average household income is above average, a parking lot full of expensive cars, and this woman would rather come in here and tell this crazy story rather than ask for money so that she can get some food to eat. This is our society, your odds are better making up a lie to the restaurant manager than asking your fellow neighbors for money to buy some food.

2) The fact that her order was filled was a testament to the difference in service that you get in more affluent areas. Just in an effort not to cause a scene he gave her what she wanted and sent her on her way. In the neighborhood I grew up in, or the one I moved from a couple of years ago, there is no chance they would have gave her that food. They would have made a point to cause a scene and publicly embarrass this woman over $3 worth of food........