Be Kind.

The other day I was shuffling through my pictures with my valentine when I came across this picture I had taken a few months back. I'm not sure why this never made it as a post at the time because I thought it was such a ridiculous stack of bills that would almost tell a story in and of themselves.

The picture you are seeing is something like 18 separate checks (yes, at one time, from one party). I remember the scene hauntingly well and my dreams were interrupted last night with a recounting of a similar scene. There they were, eighteen or so students who had reservations for seven o'clock (which meant that my pay had to depend solely on them for the evening), showing up at eight-thirty and streaming in faster than the hostess could seat them. Some wanted dessert, some wanted entrees, and all at the same time.

If you can look at the picture and believe this, after about 5 minutes of my taking care of their ridiculous checks, a few came over and started complaining that I was taking too long to handle the money. Those incidents are when I am reminded of the unique skill I have as a Hobbs to tell somebody exactly what I mean in one sentence or less.

Another time, I was waiting on a...how do I describe this gentleman...ah yes, a bafoon. I was waiting on a bafoon who sat at my table on a busy Saturday night waiting for the rest of his party to arrive...for 2 hours!! When his friend showed up, he literally showed up playing a violin in the middle of the restaurant. If that was not a ridiculous statement, I suggest you read it again.

Anyhow, the bafoon and his party have a lovely meal, during which he requested that our chef hurry his entrees along (for whatever reason the chef never heard that request- you guess) and he reached in to pay the bill and brought out these ridiculous plastic games with gift cards inside (see picture to the right). As he and his friends yucked it up, he told me that his dad had given these to him as a practical joke so he was passing along the hilarity to me. As much of a sense of humor that I feel I possess, I totally missed his punch-line. I did, however, have a nice time destroying his dad's practical joke to get to his payment so I guess it worked out for both of us.

Well, the reason I bring this to your attention, dear reader (also, tell dad I posted this, mom), is that many of you are going to go out to eat this weekend or next to celebrate Valentine's Day. Your focus will no doubt be on your beloved and I endorse that move. Let the spiritual waiter remind you, however, that the guy bringing your food is also a person and should be treated with respect.

Be a revolutionary. Smile, be kind, tip 18-20%. You may look like salt and light in a restaurant.

Happy Valentines Day.