12-25-09 Friday (Mery Chritmas)

It’s definitely been a strange holiday for myself and my family.  With my Mom not feeling well, my Dad and I ventured out to have lunch.  We drove around for what seemed like eternity to find a place that was open.  Choices: Sam Seltzer’s Steak House (too formal for just lunch), Perkins or IHOP.  We opted for Perkins.  We checked in with the host and was told, “It will be about 10 minutes… we’re the only game in town.”  Why did he feel the need to say that?  We were happy with the wait time.  Our expectations are lower.  These poor employees had to work.  AND you aren’t the only game in town so get over yourself.  Oh and with that statement, are you already making excuses as to why anyone would ever eat at your place or something?

As you can imagine, the place was busy.  The server hurriedly came over, welcomed us and was ready for our order.  Dad and I had noticed that another Perkins in town was closed yet this one was open.  I inquired.  The server said they asked for volunteers of who wanted to work and put them all at one location.  So now, aside from being full, there’s a lot of employees who aren’t familiar with this particular location.  It’s Christmas.  It will do.  I asked about the pot pie.  It says made daily and available while supplies last.  She said they had some.  Dad order french toast.  Later, out she came with my side salad.  No more pot pie.  I chose a breakfast egg platter and sent back the salad.  I ran out of beverage.  Little did I know, that would be the only glass of iced tea I’d be having there today.

We waited for our food and chatted.  I looked out the window and saw this:

Chritmas.  Really guys?  C’mon.  For you locals, yes, you can see the Villas Plaza across the street.

Some lady brings my food, drops and goes.  Where’s Dad’s?  I start eating my breakfast potatoes.  I can get anyone.  They’re moving at lightning speed.  Didn’t the food runner chick realize 1 plate – 2 people – maybe, just maybe something is wrong?  I finished my potatoes.  I walk to the kitchen entrance.  There’s quite the hive going on.  I finally got a manager’s attention.  I asked her to take my plate, and I’d like it served at the same time.  About 5 minutes later I received my same plate back along with Dad receiving his french toast.  I would have thought my food would have been made over.  Guess not.  The problem was the pot pie to egg transition confused the kitchen.  We received the bill which still had the pot pie and all the other stuff on it.  She circled “pot pie” and wrote “take-off” at the top.   Whoopie. 

Later, I visited my Mom, and then went over to my cousin Carissa’s house.   It was a bonus that we arrived while they were eating dinner.  We weren’t expecting dinner late in the evening but definitely grateful for the tasty steak and mashed potatoes we enjoyed.  It was great to visit with my Uncle Joey (Carissa’s Dad) and wife Maria.  I hadn’t seen my Uncle in years.