Special Requests

“Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize oh my God....I could be eating a slow learner.” - Lynda Montgomery

The smile:

I have always enjoyed eating at locally owned restaurants. Now it is common to find very nice establishments with exceptional food. It was the exception, not the rule, when I was a child. In fact my mother used to say about locally owned places “they put their money on the walls or on the table”. She meant a small food service establishment that didn’t look as good often had better food. Yes, I like the dives.

I worked for a family friend, Sherry, for a while when I was a teenager. She is an incredible Southern home style cook. She had a hand painted sign on the front door of her restaurant that said “We prepare special requests.”

One sunny afternoon two rednecks come into the bar. They sit down at table in the middle of the dining room. I could see they weren’t going to be easy customers from the beginning. They were propping their feet in the empty chairs, swearing loudly and spitting tobacco into empty coke bottles.  I approached the table one redneck asked “Y’all take special requests? I want a zebra steak and some French fries.”  His friend laughed and added “Yea, and I want some whale fish sticks and ketchup.”

I shook my head and walked to the kitchen to get Ms. Sherry. I explained the situation to her and to my surprise she turned and began cooking.  A few minutes later, she plated the food and sent me to deliver it.

I sat the food in front of the men, who stared dumbly at it. One asked “What’s this?” “Just what you ordered”, I replied.  They tore into the food as it might be their last meal on Earth. After a few moments one stopped long enough to tell the other, “Who would have ever believed?  It tastes like chicken.”

 

The ponder:

It is common knowledge that servers and bartenders make a living on gratuity. It is my opinion if you can’t afford to tip, you shouldn’t be eating in a restaurant. Here’s something to consider. Can you over tip?

 

The fitness challenge.

(Cumulative reps/ Feb 28 goal)

Exercise                               reps to date/  goal

Straight Punches                          150 /  2000

Knuckle Push-ups                        100 /   2000

Olympic sit-ups                           100 /  2000

Squat kicks                                    100 /  2000

Front kicks                                       75/    2000

Sidekicks                                           0 /   2000

Back kicks                                          0 /     2000

Upper blocks                                     150 / 2000

Downward blocks                             150 / 2000

Inward blocks                                     150 / 2000

Outward blocks                                 150 /  2000