Fast Food Worker Syndrome

I just got back from lunch where I experienced a victim of Fast Food Worker Syndrome. If you don't know what that is just read the conversation that I've recounted below. The cause of this behavior is that all fast food workers are drilled with a script that they are supposed to recite, without fail, to each and every customer that comes in their door. I suppose they are after consistency in the treatment of their customers, which sounds like a good thing. But the result is less than endearing to the typical person like myself. Maybe it's because I have heard the script before and I already know what information they are going to ask of me. Anyway here's exactly how it went at Popeye's Chicken today:

FF Worker: "Can I take your order?"

Me: "Yes, I'd like a two piece combo, spicy, with mashed potatoes and Cajun gravy for the side.

FF Worker: "You want that mild or spicy?"

Me: "Spicy."

FF Worker: "And what do you want for a side?"

Me: (Giving him a very irritated look) "I said I wanted mashed potatoes and Cajun gravy."

FF Worker: "OK, you want that mild and dark meat?"

Me: (Giving him an I-can't-believe-you're-asking-me-this-again look) Spicy!

FF Worker: "Do you want dark meat?"

Me: "I suppose"

FF Worker: "And what kind of drink do you want?"

Me: "Root beer"

You would have to be there to appreciate how stupid that last question was because when he asked me, I looked around the restaurant, and sure enough, the soda machine is on my side of the counter. That's right, you get your own drink.

2010

It's my understanding that Hillary Clinton has maintained a staff of eight from her failed presidential campaign and that they are continuing to raise money. A staff of eight is relatively small for a presidential campaign, but rather large don't you think for one that ended over a year ago. That's a larger staff than some active campaigns for senator have. And continuing to raise money, even though she has already retired all campaign debts?

Look for her to resign as Secretary of State in 2010. It won't happen until Obama's numbers are really tanking, but they are already headed that way. You watch, she will then try and pull the same trick on Obama that Ted Kennedy tried on Jimmy Carter and run against her party's incumbent president for the nomination. The Secretary of State position was always just a resume builder for her, but I think she has decided that she can't wait until 2016.