Friday, June 06, 2008

I almost hesitate to write a post on this topic in part because it seems so obvious, but also because I'm amazed anyone would be incredulous of this subject. It seems some folks in Eunice Louisiana were amazed to find local fast food workers were spitting in the product they served to customers.

Am I a hardened cynic?
Am I irrational for believing that a whole lot of us have consumed additional, non-listed ingredients in fast food fare?

I honestly am careful not to complain about food in a restaurant until AFTER it's been served, and I never treat food service workers in a condescending manner-- I harbour no delusions about who is really in control of the transaction. Of course, I naturally tend to err on the side of politeness anyway, so I hope I haven't evoked the wrath of a vengeful, tubercular milkshake maven at Braum's, but who knows?

When I was about 9 or so, I remember seeing a scene from The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman on television. Now, this was the mid-70s, and in my household, I WAS the remote control, so that meant I noticed some crap on telly that would otherwise not have registered a whit with me. Flipping channels once, we watched a scene at the end of this movie. Miss JP is a freed former slave living in a mean hut, when a rich white lady happens by in her carriage one day and asks for a glass of water. Miss JP recognizes white lady as the young woman with whom she played as a child and who was also her friend through adolescence. Now the old white lady is condescending and just like all the rest of 'em, so as Miss JP turns to bring the glass of water to former friend, she hocks a loogie into it, and then savours the sight of white lady drinking it down.

I really wonder about people. There are a couple people whose drink I would be happy to spit in, pro bono, baby. People like Hitler, Pol Pot and such as that-- yeah, I might make that extra effort to make the experience special, but generally? To just regular folks? I really wonder what inspires people to be so very nasty?

Whatever is wrong with people who would do such a thing, that's one bug I'm glad I never caught.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

And then there was a third class torpedoman (basically the knuckle dragging gorillas of the submarine force) that was pissed he had to stand lookout watches instead of torpedo room watches (nothing to do except wake up the ongoing watch that slept in that room) to begin with. Then when he had to run coffee for the OOD (it was a mid watch and the stewards were all in the rack)he really got pissed. I'll leave to your imagination to figure out which male appendage he rimmed the OOD's coffee cup with.

HollyB said...

It's the epidemic of entitlement mentality. These wageslaves have been raised from Pre-K to believe they DESERVE all things bright and shiny just for showin' up to the game. Remember "there are no losers, everybody gets a trophy for playing" bushwa?
Well, now those same kids are out in the REAL world working for minimum wage makin your Big Mac or Whatachik'n sammie. And they Resent havin to ask if you want fries with that?
Is it any wonder they spit in the food of the grown up who TOLD them for a decade they were WINNERS, only to make th em start at the bottom of the ladder. We do them a dis-service by not preparing them for some of life's realities when it won't hurt quite so much.

phlegmfatale said...

myron - ew. Remind me not to hang out with guys on submarines! On second thought-- no reminder will be necessary! ;)

hollyb - You hit the nail on the head! I don't get how some people think of it as degrading to do this or that job. Lots of CEOs of giant companies started with a paper route or working in a snowcone stand. An honestly-earned dollar is something to be proud of. ANd if you behave with dignity in even a "lowly" job, then you will be treated with dignity by anyone worth their salt. Get the smeg over it, already!

Thud said...

I'm with you and Holly on this..it just smacks of all that is wrong today.I have worked some cruddy jobs in my life but I come from a background versed in doing any job well...a scumbag will always out it seems.

Christina RN LMT said...

Thing is, one MUST have class. No matter how horrible a client/customer might be, you have to maintain professionalism. Cuss 'em out in your mind, or when you're home (or on your blog), but don't be an ass and lower yourself to their level. That's my two cents.

Anonymous said...

I remember those days when I also WAS the remote control!

NotClauswitz said...

I always try to be nice to the staff at restaurants...