Thursday, July 7, 2022

Cherry Picking

 Today was the long put off day to go picking cherries. We've been going to do that for the last couple weeks, but there was a tractor. And a run to the reservation, and then it was July 4th...and well. We got around to it today. 

We picked 16 pounds of sweet cherries. William was with us, and I don't know what his dealio was, but he was grumpy and sulky. We tried to speak reasonably to him, but he continued to be a cranky butt. 

After we were done, we went to McDonald's to try to change the tone of the day. It didn't. 

The specials were different, and I had a couple questions about their 'bundles'. (The counter help was not happy about this delay) I placed my order: One coke. One water. One unsweetened iced tea with double lemon. (Flat stare: "We don't have lemon.") Me: "Well, I guess I'll just take the unsweetened iced tea, then." (Flat stare.) Me: I will take the two spicy chicken bundle, three small fries and a cheeseburger. (Flat stare: "$12.83.") I ran my card, thinking "Man, that is one unhappy girl." 

It was a pretty long wait and people were getting ornery, and I was thinking, "This is probably a hard time to be at the register." When my order was set up, there were only two drinks. I did a quick inventory and saw that the iced tea was missing," so I said, "I'm waiting on my iced tea, and she snapped, "We don't have lemon." I said, "Right...you said that. I ordered it anyway..." I looked. There were two spicy chickens, but no cheeseburger. I said, "I also need a cheeseburger." She said, "A cheeseburger isn't part of the bundle!" I said, "Right....but we've got three people eating. Two of us got a bundle, and I needed a cheeseburger for my grandson...." 

She was pissed. She printed out the receipt and handed it to me, snapping "This is what you ordered!" 

I had a receipt right in my hand. I said, "Listen, I have my receipt. I can see what I was charged for, but I am ordering for three people. I wanted a cheeseburger and an unsweetened iced tea..." and she snapped, "That's not what you ordered." I said, "Listen. There's been a misunderstanding and..." she said, "If you want more food, you're paying for it!" 

Gobsmacked, I said, "Is that what this is about? This is ridiculous. I need to speak with your manager please." 

She stormed off angrily throwing her hands in the air. 

I waited. The manager came up, and I explained. "I know it is busy. I know it was a misunderstanding,  and I'm not trying to fight, but I ordered for three people." I explained what the order should have been. She reached back, grabbed a cheeseburger and got me an iced tea. I had my card in my hand, but she waved me off. I said, "I wasn't trying to get free food or to start an argument." She said, "I know. But we were getting slammed and when it is busy like that, inexperienced workers get nervous." 

That was diplomatic. 

After we were done eating, we walked down the street to an antique shop and looked around. I was tempted but reminded myself we would be downsizing. Still, it's fun to look. 

We went down to Lake Erie. William finally began shed his mood as he frolicked in the water. 

We watched 3 Amish men strolling the beach with four children. A little girl in a blue dress stared at William up to his neck in the waves. She gave a little wave. He gave a little wave back. We collected stones and beach glass and sat on the rocky beach while we waited for William to wear himself out. 

Tim drove home and we talked in the front seat. I popped a cherry in my mouth. It was so sweet. A nice counterbalance to cranky counter help and the sleeping boy in the back seat.  


23 comments:

  1. I think (I'm not positive) that my McDonalds now has a robot taking the order when I'm going through the drive-thru. Then, if I make it difficult, like "no ice" in the drink, a more human voice is on the speaker. I think your visit should involve a robot at the counter. Counter people just haven't realized that it doesn't matter what you may/may not have ordered, you just want what you asked for.
    The cherries sound lovely. I can just see the precious kindness when those two kids waved at each other. Sigh. We need more of that with adults. Linda in Kansas

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    1. She stared and stared at William splashing around in the water. He stared right back. There was that tiny little hand flip, and one came back in return. It was just a quiet, sweet moment.

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  2. You are very patient and common sense prevailed in the end. Well done Debby for showing patience.

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    1. I was starting to get cranky myself, but I'm trying to teach a boy that when someone else is over reacting, the solution is not feeding into it or over reacting yourself, so there I was...modeling the behavior I expect to see from him.

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  3. (Kay of Musings) Oh my gosh, Debby. What an awful thing to go through. What an awful worker. She needs to be fired. You are so very patient. You have 16 pounds of sweet cherries? I am so jealous. I love cherries.

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    1. They are a delicious snack out of the fridge. I shared with neighbors up and down the street.

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  4. This is a blog post that has reminded me why I really like blog reading. It's the minutia of peoples' lives that fascinate me. Gee, about 7kg of cherries. Whatever will you do with them? You were of course right to complain. Sometimes you have the strength to do so, sometimes you don't and it easier to just let it go. On the odd occasion we have dine in fast food, I always get it wrong and end up paying more. I don't understand their bundles or specials. I order what I think is a meal deal, and it ends up not being so.

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    1. That 7 kg of cherries cost about 25 minutes of picking time. The trees were LOADED.

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  5. Doesn't sound like a particularly fun outing but glad it improved by the end.

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    1. The boy certainly got up on the wrong side of the bed.

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  6. What a day! Glad it improved eventually.
    7kg of cherries....oh boy....heaven!!

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    1. They are the sweetest cherries too. Oh, they are delicious.

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  7. Your mixed-up encounter at McD’s didn’t go as well as mine.😀

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    1. And that, AC is exactly why I was thinking of you at a McDonalds in Westfield, NY

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  8. I was impressed by the manager at McDonalds, very diplomatic. I work with a lovely young woman at our reception but she can get her knickers in a twist by people. We had one cranky old man who was angry as hell that he was at a cancer hospital and didn't understand why. He got the lovely young woman's fur up and I smoothed it down.
    I can understand that she felt attacked and I can understand that the patient felt terrified. That's the nice thing about being older, I can step back, most of the time:)
    I'm glad things worked out in the end. Poor William. I wonder what's bugging him. Maybe just puberty.

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  9. When dealing with someone like that, I always try to remind myself that I don't know what's going on in their life. It doesn't excuse their behavior, but it can help me have a different attitude. -Kelly

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    1. I try to do that. I was just so astounded that she immediately jumped to the conclusion that I was angling for free food. I mean, I understood that there had been a misunderstanding, but I was just trying to correct it.

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  10. My money is on puberty (or its tendrils) starting to stir up Young William
    Our McDonalds all have kiosks you can electronically order your meals through these days, although you can also do so in person.

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    1. Aaaaaackkkkkk! Jeanie!!!!! Puberty?????!!!

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  11. I've had grandchildren in a long drawn out "mood". Some have been so ludicrous that even they laughed, in the end.

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    1. Life is a bit complicated for him right now.

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  12. He did apologize in the afternoon.

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