I want a loaded grilled burger, for about a buck. No, don't tell me where the meat comes from, as long as it costs me 99 cents. And throw some fries in, for say, half a buck. And I want a prize. And not some crappy Nemo toy - I want a little handheld gameboy. Cut corners where you must, but I want this entire meal for about $2.
So, I guess we can't be too picky about the lovely service we get along with this meal, can we? Well, I wouldn't be blogging if I couldn't complain, so here goes. Manners are free, man! Being polite doesn't cost you any more or less. I am absolutely astounded at how rude some people are comfortable being. It floors me! I usually give people the benefit of the doubt, yeah, maybe they had a bad day, or they're sick, blah blah blah. But come on, it happens just a little too much at fast food places. I just love walking up to the counter, and waiting... waiting... while the clerk, who is not even trying to hide the fact that she's ignoring me, slowly meanders up to the counter and just looks at me.
No "hello". No "may I take your order?". I just get that look. You know the one. Go on, I just dare you to be insulted by my behavior.
Yes, I know I'm inconveniencing your busy day of sitting on your butt and yacking with the cooks in the back. I know it's irritatingly picky of me not to want onions on my burger. And excuse me for not having exact change and forcing you to hand me money back. I know it's rude of me to expect you to do the job you're being paid for, let alone do it pleasantly or at least just not with hostility. Some nerve, huh?
I guess the best I can hope for is that they aren't peeing in my coke back there. Shameful, what we'll endure to have a meal for 2 bucks. Well, there is the prize too, but still...
Now, now...be nice! I know what you mean, though. I occasionally run into hotel staff who need an attitude adjustment. For example, in the past two hotels in which I have resided, the bed sheets only get changed once a week. (In extended stay hotels, the sheets only get changed once a week so that costs can be kept low. Hey, you don't change your sheets at home everyday. Get your nose out of the air!) I have caught the housekeepers in these last two hotels (part of the same chain, by the way) not changing the sheets on the sheet-changing day. (I say I caught the housekeepers. I didn't really "catch" them as much as I checked to see if the sheets were changed.) When I brought this dereliction of duty to the attention of the hotel managers, who then reprimanded the housekeepers, I could tell that the housekeepers were none too pleased with my inspection!
Now, in restaurants, one does have to worry about having a waiter or cook pee or spit into one's food. That is most troubling. However, in a hotel room, the horror story of the disgruntled housekeeper is MUCH worse. My brother relayed to me an account he heard of a traveler who was staying in a hotel. Said traveler had some complaint about the level of service he received in his room, and he registered his complaint with the hotel manager. The manager saw to it that the housekeeper corrected her error, and the traveler was satisfied. However, the next evening, the traveler noticed that his toothbrush was somehow different. The traveler was out of his room one day and returned in the afternoon. Upon entering his room, he caught the housekeeper...skirt hiked up...underwear down...his toothbrush...in...her...anus...giving it a little extra whitening power!
Beware!
Posted by: Joey Wolfe at August 18, 2003 08:35 PMThat is just about the most disgusting thing I think I've ever heard.
Posted by: Lisa Huntington at August 18, 2003 08:55 PM--gag--
Posted by: Shannon at August 18, 2003 10:08 PMthat has the ring of an urban legend, though.
Posted by: Shannon at August 18, 2003 10:09 PMI'm just telling you what I heard.
Posted by: Joey Wolfe at August 18, 2003 10:35 PMIs Joey spreading his danged urban legends around again?
Posted by: Patrick at August 19, 2003 11:13 AMWhen Amy and I visited the Northwest last winter, we learned at a Taco Bell in Spokane, WA that when it comes to fast food, you don't have to be black to be slow.
Posted by: the booth at August 20, 2003 12:22 AMWish you could see the cute little lock and key i just got to put on my toothbrush... lol...