Went to lunch today, there's this place overlooking a river
where you can have a nice lunch and a beer or a bloody mary,
whatever. Peanut shells on the floor, that kind of place.

New bartender. The bartenders there are *always* young
guys. They tend to stay for a long time, so they get to know
what you drink, like that.

So, this is a new guy. With that 'I'm a hotshot, I'm the bartender'
attitude. I ordered eggplant parmagiana, and I really had a jones
for fries. For whatever reason, I really wanted fries. You get a
choice, linguine or french fries, so when I ordered I said, and I'd
like that with fries.

He said, It *comes* with fries. I don't think I looked like what
I was thinking, but I was thinking Wiseguy, huh? We'll see. Didn't
say anything. We're waiting, hanging out, shooting the breeze and
watching this guy bumbling around. Ron says, bet you don't get
fries, I was laughing. Yeah, I'm so not getting fries.

Yes, lunch arrives, it's got the linguine, Ron said instantly, she
wanted that with fries? Not really so nice, closer to She wanted that
with *fries*. Oh. It usually comes with fries, you want fries? Yes, I
really do want fries.

Hey, when you want fries, nothing else will do!

Of course he called in for fries, brought them over, this always
comes with fries at lunch. Not one word escaped my lips but
I have this all the time here at lunch, it comes with a choice.
Whatever. Funny, I like ketchup with my fries, had to leave the
bar and steal it from an empty table. I know, ketchup with fries,
what a weirdo.

Guy walks away and Ron says, I hope the bartender's retirement
plan isn't counting on the tip he gets from us today. So funny.
Didn't really cheap out on the tip, how low can a tip go when lunch
for two with a beer comes to 19 bucks. And the way those guys
stay, that long memory that remembers what you drink most likely
remembers a bad tip.

We walk out and Ron says, It *comes* with fries with that same
snotty attitude the guy had. Funny.

nancy