My Mom and I had a conversation recently about Jennifer Lawrence’s career (The Lawrence Family went to our church growing up and I am friends with her brother, Ben.) Her lovely face is simply everywhere these days so we find ourselves talking about her occasionally. We were bouncing around ideas about what that thing is that makes her stand out over so many other young actresses. She has done drama, action, small film, large film, comedy and scary (I may or may not hide half my face under blankets during the commercial for House at the End of the Street) all in her young career. With an Oscar nomination for Winters Bone and rumors of another for the Silver Linings Playbook (both of these for two different genres,) girl has got it going on.
When I consider some of the roles I have seen her master, scenes I have watched her nail; I remember finding myself thinking “I could never do that!” Last night I realized, that’s IT! That is what makes someone great. While watching TV or a play I often find myself flirting with the idea “I could so do that.” However given deeper thought I always come to the conclusion that I couldn’t even pull off Kristen Stewart levels of acting. I would giggle while she sulks. Acting is quickly struck from my list of “Potential Career Paths and/or Ways to get Rich,” but the thought does cross my mind. It does NOT cross my mind when watching Jennifer.
Cristy and I recently watched Albert Nobbs and you can bet Glenn Close’s Oscars that it didn't occur to me for one second that I could have pulled off that masterpiece of acting genius. She IS Albert Nobbs; she becomes a completely different person in that movie. Based on her track record so far, Jennifer’s IMDB profile could end up looking something like a Glenn Close or a Meryl Streep’s even.
Jennifer seems to have been driven from a young age to do something different, to be something special, and she challenges herself. In an interview where she describes failing at log chopping (for me failing at log chopping would mean lots of dead people and not a single chip in the log) she says she refused to let them bring in a body double as they threatened to do. She chopped up that darned log and some other ones, too. Dang, lady, that is why you are Katniss Freaking Everdeen! You want something and you get it!
My Mom’s favorite story of a young Jennifer is when Jennifer’s Mother, Karen, brought her to meet with Mom so that Mom could try to convince the teenager that she needed to keep attending Youth Group and Choir at our Church on Sunday nights. Jennifer made such a compelling argument to my Mom she was left thinking “well, maybe the child is right!” She knew she didn’t want to do it and she calmly made it clear why. When I wanted or didn’t want to do something at 13 I would yell things about “Not Fair” and “everyone else” and “WHY ME!?”
Comparing Jennifer Lawrence with Kristen Stewart is like comparing Barbara Kingsolver with that horny lady who wrote 50 Shades of Bondage or whatever it is. Does not compute. She is already on a completely different playing field and I am very excited to see where her career goes while she completely becomes these other characters she chooses to portray. I guess even that scary one because I’m sure Cristy will make me watch it.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
How To Spot a Writer
I was sitting outside today reading during my lunch break on the concrete picnic set which is the only outside seating option at my job. My desire to be outside and away from my gloomy desk supersedes the discomfort inflicted from ass on rock. Who even ever thought that a concrete seat was a good idea? Next they will be making paper weights made of cotton balls. Anyway…..I started mulling over some odd behaviors that are likely unique to those of us who enjoy writing; and then as a writer of course decided to share those writer qualities with you…in writing. Ahem; here they are in no particular order:
1. Writers could be mid conversation, mid book, mid pretty much anything and leave that task to write down an idea that sprung out of wherever any idea comes from. It could be a bad one; it could be so ingenious that it needs to go under lock and key out of fear of thievery. But either way it must be documented at that very time lest it be forgotten. Cristy finally broke down and bought me a small note book to have on hand because she felt sorry for me and my sad little scraps of paper and envelopes with illegible notes scratched in random patterns.
2. Writers spend time editing and crafting the most appropriate words to convey their feelings. Thus, we might also craft a better conversation than the one we just had with you and come back later with something better.
3. If you catch a writer or someone you suspect is a writer starring off into space then probably there is something highly creative and interesting going on in their head. Best to leave them be.
4. Writers are constantly editing their own work so it becomes natural to then start editing everyone else’s stuff too. The majority of the time I avoid critiquing others because I know that would be completely rude and frowned upon; however occasionally one might slip by so I apologize in advance if it ever happens to you and yours.
5. Writers typically will have ink smudged all over their writing hand from the page. Just kidding, this isn’t the 1800’s and we don’t use ink wells anymore, silly!!!
6. When I spot someone who looks so sleepy they might fall asleep in a meeting (and sometimes they do) I wonder if they were up late with their kids, they drank too much the night before, or maybe, just maybe they are a writer. Sometimes I will wake in the middle of the night with a thought or an idea and I lay there trying to staple it into my mind, writing and rewriting it onto a virtual post-it note. I worry and worry that I will forget it after a night of weird dreams so that eventually I get up and write it down. That process takes a good 1-2 hours out of an otherwise normal night.
If you enjoy writing and have something to add, feel free to comment and lengthen my list!!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Whoops
Remember that uneasy feeling when you were little because some other kids would be talking about something that you didn’t know about yet and you had to play along but not act too involved in the conversation out of fear they would ask you questions about it? Well today's blog is about when that kind of thing happens as an adult.
You know, like when you thought something was one thing but it turns out to be this total different thing. I am going to share some of my more embarrassing ones with you in hopes that you will do the same and we can all point at one another and have a good laugh at each others’ expense. Please be a good sport.
For pretty much ever I have thought that Key Biscayne was a place near the bottom of Florida somewhere called Keepiscane. One word. When I finally realized it was a Key like Largo or the better known West, it was a revelation.
Just recently I was reading an article about people who self diagnose themselves on the internet and the hypochondria that causes (I’m looking at you, Cristy.) The article sited the Pew Research Council’s statistical data on percent of internet users who do this and I was confused. You see until that moment I thought that the Pew Research Council compiled statistical data of people at churches. In my mind it was data collected regarding the people sitting in the pews. I didn’t get why the church would care how many of their members searched their symptoms on the internet. How many members searched porn or something, I could maybe get. Turns out the Pew Research Council has nothing to do with actual Pews. Yeah, I’m dumb.
Anyway, another fun one is that for most of my life I have used the phrase “All intents and purposes” just like everyone else does. However I though it was “All intensive purposes.” If you have heard me say that and didn’t correct me then shame on you!
Song lyrics work, too. When we were little my Brother, Paul and I thought that The Rolling Stones song “Start Me Up” was actually about a Mexican Hero named “El Estafio.” “El Estafio, El Estafio, you never stop.”
OK, enough laughing at me, now your turn. Make me laugh, folks!
You know, like when you thought something was one thing but it turns out to be this total different thing. I am going to share some of my more embarrassing ones with you in hopes that you will do the same and we can all point at one another and have a good laugh at each others’ expense. Please be a good sport.
For pretty much ever I have thought that Key Biscayne was a place near the bottom of Florida somewhere called Keepiscane. One word. When I finally realized it was a Key like Largo or the better known West, it was a revelation.
Just recently I was reading an article about people who self diagnose themselves on the internet and the hypochondria that causes (I’m looking at you, Cristy.) The article sited the Pew Research Council’s statistical data on percent of internet users who do this and I was confused. You see until that moment I thought that the Pew Research Council compiled statistical data of people at churches. In my mind it was data collected regarding the people sitting in the pews. I didn’t get why the church would care how many of their members searched their symptoms on the internet. How many members searched porn or something, I could maybe get. Turns out the Pew Research Council has nothing to do with actual Pews. Yeah, I’m dumb.
Anyway, another fun one is that for most of my life I have used the phrase “All intents and purposes” just like everyone else does. However I though it was “All intensive purposes.” If you have heard me say that and didn’t correct me then shame on you!
Song lyrics work, too. When we were little my Brother, Paul and I thought that The Rolling Stones song “Start Me Up” was actually about a Mexican Hero named “El Estafio.” “El Estafio, El Estafio, you never stop.”
OK, enough laughing at me, now your turn. Make me laugh, folks!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Chickens Vs. The Gays
The whole Chick-Fil-gAypocolypse this week has created more discussion, anger, disgust, shock and “Fried Processed Chikn Food” eating than I could ever have imagined when I heard that Chick-Fil-A’s CEO had spoken the infamous words “Guilty as charged” last week. For one, I already knew that the company gave money to Anti-Marriage Equality causes. I already used my HRC application on my Iphone to help me chose Fairness Friendly companies at which to spend my hard earned money. I also didn’t expect the protests following it to become so misguided.
Throughout the poultry battle over the past week or so there was one thing that some Gay Marriage supporters got terribly wrong, in my opinion. When Boston’s mayor decided to write and publish a letter to Chick-Fil-A advising them that their business was not welcome, I hope he was doing so with his constituents in mind; however government officials should never have become involved. Chick-Fil-A and all businesses have every right to give their money to Anti Gay Marriage groups, Anti Tall People Getting Married groups or anti whatever they want.
However, here is where the Gay Marriage supporters have it right and also I think where the confusion has set in. So many fights have broken out and feelings been hurt because someone’s family member or friend supported Chick-Fil-A yesterday. Unfortunately I think many of those supporters thought they were supporting Freedom of Speech. This was never about Freedom of Speech. We as consumers have the right to take that information the CEO shared with us and to protest the company. We have the right to stop eating there. We have the right to post on Facebook, billboards, TV commercials and banners in our parades about it. We have the right to OUR freedom of expression to react as we see fit. I have blogged before about the misconceptions relating to Freedom of Speech. Anytime someone has a problem with something some douchbag says, someone else is going to say “Stop blasting him, he has a right to say that, it is his FREEDOM OF SPEECH.” Indeed it is! And it is also everyone else’s right to hate what he said and let him know it!
People make consumer decisions based on all different factors. Some choose based on price, appearance, whether it’s “Made In The USA,” or made in a sweatshop. Some might buy something because their friends like it or because Miley Cyrus wore it. Others choose based on the company’s philosophies, how they treat their employees or, as is this case, based on where the company sends some of their profits. You see, the CEO didn’t simply say that he thinks Marriage should be between Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve (Which I always think is funny. Naked straight people can get married but not fully clothed gay men.) He also gives some of Chick-Fil-A’s profits to Anti-Gay causes. This is where many gay people were flabbergasted to find that some of our loved ones chose to actively support the chicken man yesterday; on a day set aside to show support to him and his statements about his decisions. So while I understand that Gay Marriage might not necessarily be a factor in where you decide to eat fried food on a normal day, yesterday was different.
There is one thing about the fight for Marriage Equality I will never understand and maybe someone can help me with. I fully support your right to believe in your interpretation of your Bible, your Torah or your Holy copy of The Complete Chronicles and Gospel of Puff the Magic Dragon. However why in the world does it matter to you if gay people can get married in your country or your state? Fine, don’t allow it in your Church, Synagogue, or….Cave? (where would you go to worship Puff, not sure) but why does it matter to you if they wed in a courthouse?
Chicken man cares (and apparently a lot of people still care) but times they are definitely a-changin.’ Support for Gay Marriage (or Marriage Equality as I like to call it) grows every day. Young people simply don’t care who their Aunts, friends, cousins, moms, Grandparents or teachers share their lives with. As my Sister-In-Law recently pointed out, you don’t see people picketing “Chubby Chasers” or couples who found each other because they both share a passion for beautiful covered bridges. It doesn’t matter why or how two adult people fall in love, just that they are happy and are treated fairly. Eventually it will be a non-issue and I think it will be in my lifetime. However in the mean time it matters greatly to me where I spend my money, who I vote for and that I continue to show pride in who I am.
In the mean time I think everyone needs to sit down with friends and family and discuss why they did or didn’t eat places yesterday. And I will continue to fully support chicken man’s right to believe in his interpretation of the bible and give your money to Anti-Marriage Equality Groups. I guarantee you he won’t be giving mine.
P.S. You wouldn’t have caught me dead in a Chick-Fil-A even before I knew that those cute cows were homophobic because I don’t eat Chicken or Cows anyway, homophobes or not.
Throughout the poultry battle over the past week or so there was one thing that some Gay Marriage supporters got terribly wrong, in my opinion. When Boston’s mayor decided to write and publish a letter to Chick-Fil-A advising them that their business was not welcome, I hope he was doing so with his constituents in mind; however government officials should never have become involved. Chick-Fil-A and all businesses have every right to give their money to Anti Gay Marriage groups, Anti Tall People Getting Married groups or anti whatever they want.
However, here is where the Gay Marriage supporters have it right and also I think where the confusion has set in. So many fights have broken out and feelings been hurt because someone’s family member or friend supported Chick-Fil-A yesterday. Unfortunately I think many of those supporters thought they were supporting Freedom of Speech. This was never about Freedom of Speech. We as consumers have the right to take that information the CEO shared with us and to protest the company. We have the right to stop eating there. We have the right to post on Facebook, billboards, TV commercials and banners in our parades about it. We have the right to OUR freedom of expression to react as we see fit. I have blogged before about the misconceptions relating to Freedom of Speech. Anytime someone has a problem with something some douchbag says, someone else is going to say “Stop blasting him, he has a right to say that, it is his FREEDOM OF SPEECH.” Indeed it is! And it is also everyone else’s right to hate what he said and let him know it!
People make consumer decisions based on all different factors. Some choose based on price, appearance, whether it’s “Made In The USA,” or made in a sweatshop. Some might buy something because their friends like it or because Miley Cyrus wore it. Others choose based on the company’s philosophies, how they treat their employees or, as is this case, based on where the company sends some of their profits. You see, the CEO didn’t simply say that he thinks Marriage should be between Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve (Which I always think is funny. Naked straight people can get married but not fully clothed gay men.) He also gives some of Chick-Fil-A’s profits to Anti-Gay causes. This is where many gay people were flabbergasted to find that some of our loved ones chose to actively support the chicken man yesterday; on a day set aside to show support to him and his statements about his decisions. So while I understand that Gay Marriage might not necessarily be a factor in where you decide to eat fried food on a normal day, yesterday was different.
There is one thing about the fight for Marriage Equality I will never understand and maybe someone can help me with. I fully support your right to believe in your interpretation of your Bible, your Torah or your Holy copy of The Complete Chronicles and Gospel of Puff the Magic Dragon. However why in the world does it matter to you if gay people can get married in your country or your state? Fine, don’t allow it in your Church, Synagogue, or….Cave? (where would you go to worship Puff, not sure) but why does it matter to you if they wed in a courthouse?
Chicken man cares (and apparently a lot of people still care) but times they are definitely a-changin.’ Support for Gay Marriage (or Marriage Equality as I like to call it) grows every day. Young people simply don’t care who their Aunts, friends, cousins, moms, Grandparents or teachers share their lives with. As my Sister-In-Law recently pointed out, you don’t see people picketing “Chubby Chasers” or couples who found each other because they both share a passion for beautiful covered bridges. It doesn’t matter why or how two adult people fall in love, just that they are happy and are treated fairly. Eventually it will be a non-issue and I think it will be in my lifetime. However in the mean time it matters greatly to me where I spend my money, who I vote for and that I continue to show pride in who I am.
In the mean time I think everyone needs to sit down with friends and family and discuss why they did or didn’t eat places yesterday. And I will continue to fully support chicken man’s right to believe in his interpretation of the bible and give your money to Anti-Marriage Equality Groups. I guarantee you he won’t be giving mine.
P.S. You wouldn’t have caught me dead in a Chick-Fil-A even before I knew that those cute cows were homophobic because I don’t eat Chicken or Cows anyway, homophobes or not.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Growing Up
If you don’t like the musical Wicked then you either a.) have not seen it; b.) have no feelings and also don’t like things like baskets of kittens, grandparent hugs and Disney World; or c.) were suffering from severe personal trauma when you saw Wicked and were not fit to properly form opinions. If it is either A or C then I suggest you research the most efficient way for you to see Wicked as soon as possible, the most obvious answer being a road trip to NYC. Since I have provided you with this advice, it would be extremely rude if you did not bring me along. Just saying…
On our way home from the Smokey Mountains last week we were listening to my IPod on shuffle. I always want other people to listen to my IPod on shuffle because obviously I have compiled a masterpiece of musical variety encompassing all of the best songs that were ever written and performed. Your IPod is probably pitiful in comparison, but I am not taking into account that people can have different taste in music than I do. I always forget that….weird.
Anyway, we were listening to “Thank Goodness” which is a song from Wicked which has consistently been one of my favorites (Duh, that’s why it is included in the brilliant list of audio ecstasy that is my IPod.) During the scene Glinda is shifting into position as the Good Witch and in the process is maturing past the flippant girl she was before. Also in the background of the scene you have the hatred brewing for the Wicked Witch and all the misconceptions that accompany that hatred. Glinda is being pulled between what she knows as truth, her loyalty to her friend Elphaba, her dreams and goals and also the perfect appearance she wants to portray. Those are a lot of things to balance, and during this time she is realizing that growing up and reaching her goals doesn’t happen on a smooth path like the beautiful Yellow Brick Road. There are many difficult decisions to make along the way and choices that leave consequences we sometimes don’t realize until they have occurred:
'Cause getting your dreams
It's strange, but it seems
A little - well - complicated
There's a kind of a sort of, cost
There's a couple of things get, lost
There are bridges you cross
You didn't know you crossed
Until you've crossed’
Glinda is uneasy to learn that you can’t just make things pretty and sweet and expect that will get you by your entire life. True leadership isn’t just getting people to like you; it requires tough choices and Emerald City sized responsibility.
This is the essence of what “Coming Of Age” is all about. In fact actual age has nothing to do with it. It is about that period in life when choices become painful, our path is made bumpy and our critical decisions are no longer “Go out for the night or stay in?” And after it starts we spend the rest of our lives growing up and wondering each and every day whether we are good enough and making the right choices. I am glad that when I was young people simply said to me “enjoy being young these are the best years of your life” rather than what they were thinking – “enjoy being young because when you get older mean people will expect you to make an endless array of decisions with colossal consequences that could literally ruin your life, or at the very least ruin your day….oh also dark spots and wrinkles, you will have lots of those….”
I guess for me that has been one of the hardest realizations to come to. Not the wrinkles but that it never ends. I will never be done “Growing Up” as I actually looked forward to when playing on the swingset. That must be why it seems so wrong in Peter Pan when Father decides that Wendy will be moving from the Nursery to Grow Up in one evening. It can't happen over night. Sometimes I feel grown up, sometimes I feel like a child, and sometimes I feel that although I do have a lot more growing up to do, things do work out eventually for me just as they will for Glinda.
On our way home from the Smokey Mountains last week we were listening to my IPod on shuffle. I always want other people to listen to my IPod on shuffle because obviously I have compiled a masterpiece of musical variety encompassing all of the best songs that were ever written and performed. Your IPod is probably pitiful in comparison, but I am not taking into account that people can have different taste in music than I do. I always forget that….weird.
Anyway, we were listening to “Thank Goodness” which is a song from Wicked which has consistently been one of my favorites (Duh, that’s why it is included in the brilliant list of audio ecstasy that is my IPod.) During the scene Glinda is shifting into position as the Good Witch and in the process is maturing past the flippant girl she was before. Also in the background of the scene you have the hatred brewing for the Wicked Witch and all the misconceptions that accompany that hatred. Glinda is being pulled between what she knows as truth, her loyalty to her friend Elphaba, her dreams and goals and also the perfect appearance she wants to portray. Those are a lot of things to balance, and during this time she is realizing that growing up and reaching her goals doesn’t happen on a smooth path like the beautiful Yellow Brick Road. There are many difficult decisions to make along the way and choices that leave consequences we sometimes don’t realize until they have occurred:
'Cause getting your dreams
It's strange, but it seems
A little - well - complicated
There's a kind of a sort of, cost
There's a couple of things get, lost
There are bridges you cross
You didn't know you crossed
Until you've crossed’
Glinda is uneasy to learn that you can’t just make things pretty and sweet and expect that will get you by your entire life. True leadership isn’t just getting people to like you; it requires tough choices and Emerald City sized responsibility.
This is the essence of what “Coming Of Age” is all about. In fact actual age has nothing to do with it. It is about that period in life when choices become painful, our path is made bumpy and our critical decisions are no longer “Go out for the night or stay in?” And after it starts we spend the rest of our lives growing up and wondering each and every day whether we are good enough and making the right choices. I am glad that when I was young people simply said to me “enjoy being young these are the best years of your life” rather than what they were thinking – “enjoy being young because when you get older mean people will expect you to make an endless array of decisions with colossal consequences that could literally ruin your life, or at the very least ruin your day….oh also dark spots and wrinkles, you will have lots of those….”
I guess for me that has been one of the hardest realizations to come to. Not the wrinkles but that it never ends. I will never be done “Growing Up” as I actually looked forward to when playing on the swingset. That must be why it seems so wrong in Peter Pan when Father decides that Wendy will be moving from the Nursery to Grow Up in one evening. It can't happen over night. Sometimes I feel grown up, sometimes I feel like a child, and sometimes I feel that although I do have a lot more growing up to do, things do work out eventually for me just as they will for Glinda.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
A Dog's Perception
This morning on our daily AM potty walk outside, my dog and I noticed the landscapers using a trimmer cutting the grass around the trees. This is what I saw:
However, based on Koda running desperately in the other direction I do believe that this is what she saw:
This got me thinking about perception, mine vs. hers. This fun little game could be applied to many things, for example, the way a child sees things at different ages. But I can't cover it all at once so let’s start here.
Me – leaving for the day, pat the animals on their heads and look forward to seeing them when I get home.
Koda - My mom just died.
Me – Car ride to the dog park
Koda –
Me –
Koda –
Me –
Koda –
Me - Someone's at the door
It's a wonder humans and dogs get along so well when we see things so differently!!
Monday, May 14, 2012
He said what?
Any one who has worked in customer service has their stories of irate, borderline insane customers throwing fits, breaking things, spitting, yelling, pushing, and spewing any combination of curse words found in the English or Spanish language. My family is not that type of customer. However on Saturday night we were treated like we were.
I am extremely non-confrontational. I don’t like conflict in any form. I avoid UK vs. UL arguments, I have been known to tear up if someone snaps at me and you couldn’t pay me enough to watch a Presidential debate or the political shows where people interrupt each other, smirk and roll eyes while the other talks or get louder hoping that will make their opinion more right. However, if someone or something I feel strongly about is under attack, I have been known to hold my ground. That doesn’t mean I don’t still cry about it later.
I felt the need to document what happened Saturday night at Bluegrass Pizza and Pub in Danville, Ky. This could be a cautionary for future restaurateurs, a demo on completely failing at patience, or just an “Oh my gosh, he said what?” moment for the day.
My Mom, Dad, Sister, Nephew (20 months) and I went to have dinner in Danville, KY before heading back to their home for some family time this past Saturday the 12th. We waited only about 15 minutes for our table and were seated in the cute local restaurant near the front window. We commented on the décor, admired the menu and noticed a diverse clientele enjoying their evening. My mom was very excited when Danville went Wet recently, opening them up to many new business and culinary experiences they previously had to drive to Lexington to enjoy.
When our waiter arrived we could tell that he was new and also nervous. (Now I know why because I would be nervous, too if I was working for someone whose switch could be flipped so easily; but more on that later.) As we ordered my Dad asked what kind of dressings were available for his salad and the young man replied “Pretty much anything .) Dad asked for Honey Mustard? and the server said he would bring it out. We also ordered our pizzas. Sister – Pepperoni. Mom and Dad – Veggie Delight with olives only on one half. Me – Veggie delight with no cheese. We made our usual joke about how I am so weird and don’t want the cheese. Haha, cue everyone’s laughs to make it ok if the waiter gives me a weird look as they usually do. You see, as a family, we like for people and interactions to be comfortable and fun. The waiter appeared to be writing everything down and we went on with our meal. Dad was told they didn’t have Honey Mustard but they brought him Spicy Mustard instead (not dressing) and then later they found Honey Mustard. Interesting. The usual 15-20 minutes later our food arrived. We had one pepperoni, and two Mediterraneans. We advised the waiter that we had not ordered those two Mediterraneans. I reminded him that Mom and Dad had the Veggie Delight with olives on half and I had the Veggie Delight with no cheese. As he walked away, wide eyed and slightly bewildered looking, I commented to my Mom that these next pizzas would likely still be wrong, in which case they could eat theirs and I would eat left over pasta or something when I got home.
Apparently the owners/managers of Bluegrass Pizza and Pub are a couple, and the Female Manager of the two came by, apologized, explained the newness of the waiter and offered to bring something for my nephew to color. She was VERY nice and her behavior was exactly what you would expect in this situation. Guess what? WE were nice, too! We don’t like to complain and we told her it wasn’t a big deal, everyone was all smiles, on with the meal. At this point Nephew was getting fussy so Dad took him out to walk around downtown Danville. At 20 months, that is very exciting. If only the little boy had known the excitement to come at our very table!
15-20 minutes later, out come the pizzas. Both Veggie Delights with full olive coverage and full cheese application. We advised our waiter that these were again, wrong, and we would like some boxes please. Just then the Male Owner arrived with a box for the half eaten Pepperoni pizza and said “oh, I didn’t realize you still had food coming.” At this point my mom was a little upset because all she wanted was to take her kids and grandkids out to eat and here her daughter was going to have to settle for cold pasta salad at home. She told him “Yes, we had to wait because we had the wrong pizza and they came out wrong again. We really shouldn’t have to pay for this pizza right here because she can’t even eat it.”
And here, my friends, is where you would expect the following: “I am so sorry that happened, let me go back and talk to the kitchen and see what happened, I will be right back;” or something like that, right? That is what I would have expected. Instead…. “Ok well, you don’t give me orders, I am going to go take care of it.”
YES! That is what he said, to my mom, who is so sweet and she just sat there amazed. We were all three amazed. We sat for a good two minutes in silence contemplating what had just happened. I mean, come on, Man! Have you ever eaten at a restaurant before? That doesn’t happen!
Finally as my ears turned red and I sat and watched my Mom with her hurt feelings and big eyes, I got up, marched myself back to the bar area where the two owners and the waiter were standing in a huddle. I walked straight up to that Male Owner and I explained that we were not upset with the waiters, mistakes happen, I have been there myself (I mean I don’t think I ever got it wrong twice but, you know…) and we were prepared to just call it a night. However, I told him, it was extremely rude for him to say that to my Mom.
He said that he didn’t care, we can’t give him orders, this is his restaurant. I asked if this is what he wanted us to tell Danville about the restaurant. Female Owner was standing there going “no, mam, no…” but he didn’t concur. He said we can just go ahead and get out if we don’t like it. "Just get out” he told me.
This is the point where I could have just gone all ballistic (others who are stronger than me have said that they would have asked him if he wanted to step outside with us as we “got out.”) I could have made a scene in front of all the customers and really brought out this egotistic land mine’s personality. Instead, my experience teaches me that you can’t reason with someone like that, so I turned around and collected my belongings. Apparently they eventually brought the check with two pizzas taken off but at that point I was outside playing with my Nephew; he calmed me down in 10 seconds as he laughed and ran towards me (I love it when they do that.)
Now, I want you to put on your imagination caps. Imagine if we had been the type of customer who really likes to complain. You know the kind who sits there waiting to find the smallest hint of a finger print on a knife, snaps at the server who can’t recommend the best wine and can sense heat lamps on food before it is even swallowed. Picture...Anton Ego in Ratatouille. Those types of people will inevitably come to this restaurant, probably one per night! How does this man deal with that without someone being thrown across a table every week? It is a small restaurant in a small town, we don’t mind mistakes. Heck we don’t even mind fingerprints. What we do mind is self-righteous ass hole owners.
Perhaps we caught him on a bad day. Maybe his pet mouse just died and the rent was due and the addition of the rain just threw him over the edge. Regardless, I NEVER can forgive someone for ruining time with my family. Sure it gave me a good story to tell but somehow the thought of him telling some undercover food critic that they “can’t give orders” to him isn’t giving me enough satisfaction.
Suggestions? I have emailed them a copy of this blog (not the link) to read and you can reach them here:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
