A Sunday Afternoon.

Last weekend we took a quick trip to Kentucky, to my family reunion, but this post is not about that.  

We got back in the mid-afternoon - one of the good things about the trip to/from Western North Carolina to Eastern Kentucky being that it's not really all that far.  Far enough to get you tired, but not far enough to kill you.  So we were tired.

As a result of the fatique, we decided to go to one of Valdese's finer eating establishments, McDonald's, and grab a bite.  This is what this post is about.  The 3 odd things that happened while grabbing a bite at McDonald's.

I don't really like to talk to people that much, so I hung back while Patti Anne placed the orders. I did get the cups and get the drinks while we were waiting for the food (I'm partial to the Number 4, btw, 'cause I don't really like cheese, and it's the one thing you get get without cheese), and this is where the first odd thing happened.  I got the ice & drinks for both of us, but I could not get the lids, straws & napkins because apparently another customer had decided to take up residence in that area.  I watched with amazement and curiosity as he took an unbelievably long time fiddling around with everything.   Looking at the straws, puttering around with various size plastic lids, and I'm not sure what else.  So I waited.  When he finally was done, another customer who had been getting some drinks moved right in, so I had to wait for that person.  But this person took the normal amount of time, then I was able to get my lids, straws and napkins. There is a rythm of getting stuff done at McDonald's - everybody has been there so often they know what it is.  Mr. Orange tank top and blue shorts (you know who you are) upset that rythm. He was completely out of sync.  The anti-Justin Timberlake. 

This leads to the 2nd odd thing.   I now have gotten all the stuff I need to have a satisfying soft drink experience at McDonald's, and I turn around but my way is blocked by 3 older people who seem to think they're standing in their own kitchen.  I looked over at Patti Anne, she looked at me, so near, yet so far.   They were standing there looking at the menu discussing what it was they wanted, trying to decide.   I never understand that.  The thing about McDonald's is that they pretty much have whatever they had yesterday, or last week, or last year.  It doesn't change very much, that's the whole idea.  McDonald's invented this stuff, they're pretty good at it.  There's no need to stand around taking up all the available space scratching your balls trying to figure out what's good.  It's the same as it ever was.  Several people just barged through them, but they were elderly, I couldn't bring myself to.  I just waited until they finally realized that nothing had changed since the last time they were here and they moved up to the counter & ordered.  

I can't believe I used the phrase "scratching your balls".  That's not like me.  I think I used it just to do something unexpected.

The third odd thing was really kind of nice.  Patti Anne volunteered to get refills after I asked her to, because I wanted a refill, but I didn't think I could brave the drink machines again.   While I'm waiting, a little boy, maybe 8 years old, comes out of the bathroom and as he walks past me he stops and says, "That's a very nice shirt you have on".   I was caught completely off guard.  So I said, "Why, thank you, that's a nice shirt you have on too".  And I wasn't just saying that, it was.  It was a yellow t-shirt with a very cool design on it.  The little boy said, "Thank you, my Daddy made it for me."  And he was off.  It left me with a smile.