From time to time, I use one of my favorite exclamations: SWEET GUMMI MARY! That refers to the time one of my students saw an image of the Virgin Mary in a plate of melted gummi bears. Another version of this phrase came to mind when Farmer H and I were having our (mostly free) breakfast buffet on the second morning of CasinoPalooza 4.
We had stayed at a casino hotel separate from the ex-mayor and my sister his wife, because Farmer H didn't have a free night at the other one. So it was just the two of us at breakfast. The two of us, and about 30 other people. One little gal was taking money at the register as people left, and in between leavings, was showing new people to their tables. While most opted for the breakfast buffet, some preferred to order off the menu.
One other gal was waiting tables. Taking drink orders and/or food orders, bringing the tabs, clearing plates. Just one gal. As you can imagine, she was pretty busy.Since Farmer H and I had the buffet, we weren't too concerned with service. We sat at a table that could accommodate four, so we had plenty of room for our plates, even already-eaten ones that Farmer H set aside.
A single man came in, and was put at a table for two near us, up against a brick pillar. I might have complained, had I been him, but I might not. He didn't have a very good view, but he also didn't have people eyeballing him and wondering why he was there alone. He ordered off the menu, choosing the chicken-fried steak. Yes, people apparently eat that for breakfast in Oklahoma. It was on another breakfast buffet at another casino.
I'm not really a people-watcher. My mom was, but I tend to mind my own business. I do confess to noticing that when this guy's chicken-fried steak finally arrived, he asked for jelly. JELLY! That was curious. We had a whole jelly caddy on our table, with four columns, filled with jellies: strawberry jam, grape jelly, orange marmalade, and blackberry jelly. I know, because I'd been admiring the compact utilitiness of this holder. The Waiting Gal reached over to another table, and handed Mr. Chicken-Fried Steak his own jelly caddy. He selected one (no, I don't know which, what do you think I am, NOSY?) and slathered some on his chicken-fried steak. Which is, you know, covered with white gravy. I guess this is no worse than Farmer H burying his fried eggs in white gravy, but it seemed odd to me.
Farmer H and I were almost done eating by this time. I'd say we'd been there about 30 minutes. The elderly couple (heh, heh, probably younger than US) who entered right ahead of us had just finished. They also had the buffet. But the table behind Farmer H, a woman and perhaps her adult daughter, still had no food in front of them. They'd been there when we sat down. I wondered what in the world they ordered.
Not that it was my business, of course. But they were in my line of sight every time I looked up at Farmer H, and the older of the two seemed a little agitated. In fact, when Waiting Gal brought the bill to the elderly couple beside us, Agitated hollered, "Ma'am? We have been here a long time, and nobody is waiting on us." Not in a rude way. But in a way that demanded attention. Here's where it all went very wrong.
Waiting Gal hollered back, her hands full of used plates from the elderly couple's table, "I'm very busy right now, and don't have any help. I will get there as soon as I can." It didn't tip the scales in her favor that she had a little bit of attitude in her voice. Believe you me, after 28 years of teaching, I know you have to keep that attitude in check and out of your voice!
Well. The minute Waiting Gal was headed to the back room with those dirty plates, Agitated and Jr got in an animated discussion. No doubt about how they had been wronged. They caught another employee walking through. She must have been in charge, as she was wearing a badge, and not doing any discernible work. Agitated bent her ear for a minute. I saw a bunch of nods in agreement, and an apparent apology. Then Mgmt went to the back room.
Agitated and Jr ranted to each other a bit more. All the while, Agitated was sipping from her drink. So apparently, they HAD been waited on at one time, or they wouldn't have any drinks. Jr had water or a clear soda, and Agitated had tomato juice. Except I think it must have been very special tomato juice, because it wasn't in a little 6-ounce juice glass, but in a tall glass like a soda might come in, with ice and a straw. So I'm pretty sure it was a Bloody Mary. Which could explain the impatience of Agitated, especially if she was wanting another.
As I pondered that scenario, Agitated and Jr got up and left! I didn't see any money on the table, but it looked like they both left their voucher for free food. Which might have been $5 or $10 or more. And they didn't have any food that I could see. Thing is, you have to sign those vouchers at the register. Maybe they already signed them.
As Farmer H and I left AFTER PAYING with our vouchers, we walked past Agitated at the entrance. Speaking to another, apparently higher, management figure. Who was nodding in agreement, and taking a paper (official complaint?) from Agitated. I don't foresee any good coming of this for Agitated. It might be different if she'd slipped on a fallen biscuit or something. But she seemed to already be getting comps from the casino. I don't know how much more they could give her.
I'm going to remember her as Sour Bloody Mary.
2 comments:
Maybe they were confused or unknowing, saying they'd eat from the buffet, then waiting to be served FROM the buffet. or maybe they're a bit weird and go around doing that everywhere, just to get free comps, maybe hoping for free rooms and meals from room service?
River,
Ooh! I never thought about it being a scam! That's possible. Sour Bloody Mary was not gonna let it go. She kept complaining through the ranks. Maybe she was just mad because she wanted another drink, and it was taking too long. She still had her glass in her hand when we passed her at the entrance, complaining.
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