No good deed goes unpunished

[Math Is Hard]

So I'm in the coffee shop today just about to place my order for my pomegranate-blueberry foo-foo latte thingy, when the guy ahead of me stops right in the middle of placing his order and bolts for the door. I see him dash across the street almost -but ah - not quite! in time to keep the meter man from ticketing his car. He was arguing and pleading with the man, but obviously getting nowhere.

In order to ring up my drink, the barrista had to first void out his order. She was having considerable difficulty doing this so I said "don't void that order, the guy's having a bad day- put his coffee on my bill." I figured he was sure to be back in a minute or two, he'd be in a horrible mood but this would be somewhat alleviated when much to his surprise the barrista would tell him that some stranger had already paid for his coffee. By then I'd be long gone, leaving a little sunshine & good karma in my wake.

Unfortunately, parking-ticket man never returned to the coffee shop. Somehow, the barrista got confused and put the coffee of the guy who was behind me on my card. The guy behind me was blind. He thinks I'm crazy, starts thrusting money back at me. Oh, great I thought - now he's probably upset because he thinks some strange, stupid woman has bought him coffee as some sort of sympathetic gesture because of his disability. Whatever the case, he doesn't seem to happy with me.

The whole mix-up is holding up the line as I try to straighten everything out, going back and forth between the barrista and the man I just accidentally bought coffee for. The folks waiting in line, of course, were getting grumpy. :grumpy:

Moral of the story? I'm not sure there is one. But I'm $3.25 poorer. And I am thinking that I will probably stay out of the good deeds business for the rest of the day.

 

[Moonbear]

And it really sucks when all that happens before you've had a chance to drink the coffee you so desperately need to deal with such a situation! :tongue2:

 

[Math Is Hard]

And it really sucks when all that happens before you've had a chance to drink the coffee you so desperately need to deal with such a situation! :tongue2:

Tell me about it! :rofl:

well, I already went back on my word about no more good deeds for the day. I just found a stranded lady bug out in the hallway so I escorted her out to the balcony, and she flew off to freedom.

 

[Moonbear]

Tell me about it! :rofl:

well, I already went back on my word about no more good deeds for the day. I just found a stranded lady bug out in the hallway so I escorted her out to the balcony, and she flew off to freedom.

Oh, that reminds me, I should start working on my share of the list of names for the ants and skunks that will need to be named soon! :rofl:

 

[Gokul43201]

So I'm in the coffee shop today... But I'm $3.25 poorer. And I am thinking that I will probably stay out of the good deeds business for the rest of the day.

Be thankful the guy behind you wasn't buying a Ferrari (they do sell those at Starbucks, don't they).

 

[Math Is Hard]

Oh, that reminds me, I should start working on my share of the list of names for the ants and skunks that will need to be named soon! :rofl:

oh, yeah! It's Spring!

Be thankful the guy behind you wasn't buying a Ferrari (they do sell those at Starbucks, don't they).

Shoot, I guess there ain't much they don't sell these days. 'Bout like Amazon.com.

 

[SOS2008]

If ever there is an error by the vendor, they should make it up to the customer somehow. A week ago a friend and I ordered Chinese to go, and then went and bought groceries (okay, beer and wine) next door. We came back and the owner of the restaurant said a customer came in and inadvertently took our food--apparently the names were similar. It was rather funny, but then we had to sit and wait for our order to be prepared again. I thought maybe they would throw in something at no charge, but they didn't. Well, that's my business philosophy I guess...

At least all went well for the lady bug...

 

[Moonbear]

If ever there is an error by the vendor, they should make it up to the customer somehow. A week ago a friend and I ordered Chinese to go, and then went and bought groceries (okay, beer and wine) next door. We came back and the owner of the restaurant said a customer came in and inadvertently took our food--apparently the names were similar. It was rather funny, but then we had to sit and wait for our order to be prepared again. I thought maybe they would throw in something at no charge, but they didn't. Well, that's my business philosophy I guess...

At least all went well for the lady bug...

I agree. At the Starbucks in the hospital, if they mess up an order and you have to wait for them to remake it, usually they'll give you a coupon for next time. Then again, they don't usually mess up my order because everyone who works there (except the one woman who just started last week) knows my name and my order (do you think I might drink too much coffee?).

 

[Math Is Hard]

I thought maybe they would throw in something at no charge, but they didn't.

HOW LAME!

You know it's actually a good thing if someone accidentally picks up Tribdog's order. Someone else gets the food with the spit it in, and the cooks probably can't be bothered to spit in his food twice.

At least all went well for the lady bug...

one hopes, anyway... :uhh:

 

[Evo]

MIH, that was priceless.

 

[juvenal]

I'm shocked you used the term "Barista".

 

[Math Is Hard]

MIH, that was priceless.

Thanks, Evo. I am going to do my best to be completely inconsiderate and unhelpful for the rest of the day. Kindness is for suckers.

I'm shocked you used the term "Barista".

er... that's not offensive, is it? :uhh:

 

[juvenal]

No - it's just a funny term. Like if McDonald's employees started calling themselves sandwich engineers.

 

[BobG]

So I'm in the coffee shop today just about to place my order for my pomegranate-blueberry foo-foo latte thingy, when the guy ahead of me stops right in the middle of placing his order and bolts for the door. I see him dash across the street almost -but ah - not quite! in time to keep the meter man from ticketing his car. He was arguing and pleading with the man, but obviously getting nowhere.

Holy cow, that was you behind me in the line?

Actually, I asked the meter man how come we were wasting so much money on him when there was real crime to be fought. He then wrote a ticket for the crack in the windshield, saying it was unsafe.

Then I asked him if he was disabled from real crime fight. The police department only assigns the cripples and gimps to be metermen, right? He "accidently" brushed the headlight with his billy club and wrote a ticketfor a broken headlight.

I told him I knew that was no accident and I'd make sure he was kicked off the force for that. He broke the tail light and wrote a ticket for the broken tail light.

He asked me if I'd had enough. I looked around, then said "No, I guess not. You just don't intimidate me at all." He wrote a ticket for the worn tread on the tires.

He asked me again "Had enough yet?" I saw my friend driving up the street, so I said, "Yeah, here comes my ride. Boy, that guy's really going to be bummed when he sees how many tickets you gave him. Well, at least I tried to get him off. Win some, lose some, I guess. :rofl: "

 

[hypatia]

pomegranate-blueberry foo-foo

I can't even fathom someone doing that to coffee. .you know that's why the blind guy wanted nothing to do with you..he heard you order.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

MIH, quit insulting the blind people!

BobG, now I know where to send the tickets. :grumpy:

When I was 19 and living with a roomate in a cheap apartment in LA, on one occasion we saw the neighbor beating on his wife. We ran over and grabbed the guy and threw him on the ground; only to be attacked by the wife!

A young guy living in the same complex was thrown out by his father. When he came knocking on our door at midnight asking for a place to sleep, claiming that he had nowhere to go but the street, we let him sleep on the couch. When we woke up, he and the money from our wallets were gone.

 

[JasonRox]

If ever there is an error by the vendor, they should make it up to the customer somehow. A week ago a friend and I ordered Chinese to go, and then went and bought groceries (okay, beer and wine) next door. We came back and the owner of the restaurant said a customer came in and inadvertently took our food--apparently the names were similar. It was rather funny, but then we had to sit and wait for our order to be prepared again. I thought maybe they would throw in something at no charge, but they didn't. Well, that's my business philosophy I guess...

At least all went well for the lady bug...

Why were you expecting something out of the deal?

That's bad karma isn't it?

 

[Evo]

SOS's restaurant story reminded me of this. I was in one of those "chain" Mexican restaurants in Houston and put a forkful of refried beans in my mouth, as I started to swallow I started to choke, I reached into my mouth and proceeded to pull a long piece of what appeared to be part of a plastic bag out of my throat. I called the waitress over and showed her what I had almost choked on and she asked "so, you want more beans?" A brush with death and all I get is an offer of more beans. :grumpy:

 

[SOS2008]

Oh m'gosh, BobG and Hypatia's posts made me laugh so hard! :rofl:

Why were you expecting something out of the deal?

That's bad karma isn't it?

Because we were inconvenienced due to their mistake. Yes, it is bad karma for the vendor. I doubt I'll go back again...

 

[Moonbear]

SOS's restaurant story reminded me of this. I was in one of those "chain" Mexican restaurants in Houston and put a forkful of refried beans in my mouth, as I started to swallow I started to choke, I reached into my mouth and proceeded to pull a long piece of what appeared to be part of a plastic bag out of my throat. I called the waitress over and showed her what I had almost choked on and she asked "so, you want more beans?" A brush with death and all I get is an offer of more beans. :grumpy:

Nearly as bad, one of my friends had gotten some Chinese food from one of those food court places and found a bug in it. When she brought it back, they asked if she wanted a fresh plate of the same food! :yuck:

 

[Math Is Hard]

SOS's restaurant story reminded me of this. I was in one of those "chain" Mexican restaurants in Houston and put a forkful of refried beans in my mouth, as I started to swallow I started to choke, I reached into my mouth and proceeded to pull a long piece of what appeared to be part of a plastic bag out of my throat. I called the waitress over and showed her what I had almost choked on and she asked "so, you want more beans?" A brush with death and all I get is an offer of more beans. :grumpy:

Ah - That must have been Pappasito's. Frijoles con Plastic is the specialty of the house.

 

[Evo]

Nearly as bad, one of my friends had gotten some Chinese food from one of those food court places and found a bug in it. When she brought it back, they asked if she wanted a fresh plate of the same food! :yuck:

I have a tendency to find odd things in food. Once I noticed a jar of Kraft grapefruit sections on a grocery store shelf was turning blue, I looked closer and saw a small sneaker (it was a keychain). Another time I picked up a 2 liter bottle of Dr Pepper at the store and there was a mosquito floating in it. I opened a can of Green Giant corn niblets and there was half a caterpillar in it. :yuck:

 

[Moonbear]

I have a tendency to find odd things in food. Once I noticed a jar of Kraft grapefruit sections on a grocery store shelf was turning blue, I looked closer and saw a small sneaker (it was a keychain). Another time I picked up a 2 liter bottle of Dr Pepper at the store and there was a mosquito floating in it. I opened a can of Green Giant corn niblets and there was half a caterpillar in it. :yuck:

Eeeewww! I'm still suspicious that a can of tomatoes I opened once had a rat snout in it, but in the interest of preserving my appetite, I opted to just throw it out and not take a second look; I decided I'd rather not confirm what my first glance suggested it was. Little did I know at the time I could have made a small fortune from the discovery if I sued the company that canned it.

It wasn't too unusual to find odd objects in our dining hall food in college either. :yuck: A band-aid was the nastiest.

 

[SOS2008]

Ah - That must have been Pappasito's. Frijoles con Plastic is the specialty of the house.

:rofl:

I have a tendency to find odd things in food. Once I noticed a jar of Kraft grapefruit sections on a grocery store shelf was turning blue, I looked closer and saw a small sneaker (it was a keychain). Another time I picked up a 2 liter bottle of Dr Pepper at the store and there was a mosquito floating in it. I opened a can of Green Giant corn niblets and there was half a caterpillar in it. :yuck:

Um, I know we planned to meet for lunch this week, Evo, but something has come up and I can't make it. :rofl: A key chain in a jar of grapefruit? Hey, caterpillar is considered a delicacy in some places you know.

 

[Evo]

Eeeewww! I'm still suspicious that a can of tomatoes I opened once had a rat snout in it, but in the interest of preserving my appetite, I opted to just throw it out and not take a second look;

EEEEWWWWWWW! :yuck: EEEEWWWWWWW!

That reminds me of the time I found a piece of fur in a can of tuna. I really should have done something about that one.

SOS, are you sure you can't make it? My treat! :tongue2:

Ah - That must have been Pappasito's. Frijoles con Plastic is the specialty of the house.

 

[Huckleberry]

Long ago my mother baked a keishe. My father was eating it and bit in half a big juicy beetle. We think it was hiding in the spinach. It is still a topic that comes up from time to time. She'll never live it down I'm afraid.

 

[Moonbear]

Long ago my mother baked a keishe. My father was eating it and bit in half a big juicy beetle. We think it was hiding in the spinach. It is still a topic that comes up from time to time. She'll never live it down I'm afraid.

She won't live it down? It's your dad who bit the beetle in half. :yuck:

 

[matthyaouw]

No - it's just a funny term. Like if McDonald's employees started calling themselves sandwich engineers.

Subway (sandwich shop) employ "Sandwich artists"...
Presumably they have to create something like an abstract sunset out of ham, lettuce and red onion (and a tomato for the sun!) before they can give you your food.

 

[Danger]

That reminds me of the time I found a piece of fur in a can of tuna.

I thought that we left Sylvia back in the 'Weird Food' thread.

 

[hypatia]

well I guess I'll skip breakfast today.....

 

[Danger]

Actually, I asked the meter man... ...Well, at least I tried to get him off. Win some, lose some, I guess. :rofl: "

You, sir, are truly a ******* of the highest order, and my poofy hat is off to you.

 

[Danger]

the Starbucks in the hospital

What the hell is with those places, anyhow? We made the mistake of letting one into the country (well, it must have been a breeding pair; they reproduce like guppies), and now they're everywhere. I can't believe that there exists a place where you can walk up and order something with 17 names that costs $6 and they they make it without batting an eye, but you have to explain to them what 'black coffee' is. :grumpy:

 

[Moonbear]

What the hell is with those places, anyhow? We made the mistake of letting one into the country (well, it must have been a breeding pair; they reproduce like guppies),

:rofl:

I can't believe that there exists a place where you can walk up and order something with 17 names that costs $6 and they they make it without batting an eye, but you have to explain to them what 'black coffee' is. :grumpy:

But you wouldn't want black coffee from there. I think their regular coffee is pretty awful; always tastes burnt. If I just want a cup of regular coffee, I go to the deli which serves Seattle's which is still strong, but not as burnt tasting unless it really has been sitting around for hours getting burnt.

 

[Math Is Hard]

But you wouldn't want black coffee from there. I think their regular coffee is pretty awful; always tastes burnt. If I just want a cup of regular coffee, I go to the deli which serves Seattle's which is still strong, but not as burnt tasting unless it really has been sitting around for hours getting burnt.

well, I'm glad somebody finally said something. It's not just me, then.

Starbuck's coffee is just disgusting. :yuck: I don't even like their sweet foo-foo drinks. We have a much better place on campus called Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

 

[Huckleberry]

She won't live it down? It's your dad who bit the beetle in half. :yuck:

Yes, and he reminds her of that fact constantly.

I strained my brain trying to think of a good deed that I was punished with no success. I can think of a mischevious deed that I was caught in that went unpunished though. It's one of my personal favorites.

I was in the Navy and we were on a 6 month cruise in the Mediterranean. When we were underway that amount of time they would often keep us busy with ship cleanliness, painting, waxing the floors, retiling, planned maintenance, all that good stuff. I was in the aircraft maintenance department which was fairly small on that ship because it was an amphibious carrier which transports Marine aircraft and they have their own technicians for these cruises. So my department had less spaces to maintain and we usually finished before many of the other departments.

One of the departments that was notorious for being overworked was engineering. They were like moles that lived in the dark, hot places of the ship and you would see them occassionally in the mess hall with their greasy coveralls and a sweaty smell and messy hair. It's about the only time I would see them because they worked twelve hour days and typically stood a 6 hour watch on top of that. Because of all the work they had to do they were always the last to finish the less important cosmetic upkeep projects.

My department was volunteered to help the engineering department paint some of their spaces. (It is unbelievable how much painting I did in the Navy. I was assigned to the hazardous materials department later and thought "Hey, I'm in charge of the paint now.") We weren't too pleased to be doing work for another department because it cut into our minesweeper games so I and another shipmate decided to have a little fun with the engineers. We put paint underneath one of the ladder rungs and as the engineers came up and down they would get paint on their hands and we would laugh at them. It was more enjoyable when they got really upset but nobody was getting hurt or anything.

Then suddenly I see the ships captain at the top of the ladderwell and behind him is the admiral for the fleet group. They were both dressed in their dress blue officer uniforms and were taking a tour of the engineering spaces. I immediately called "Attention on deck!" and stood at attention. I happened to be painting a wall near the cieling and was standing on the ladder right by the paint. I pressed against the ladder rung hoping they would pass me and not get paint on them. Unfortunately the ladders on ships are very narrow and the captain told me in no uncertain terms "Get off the ladder." He was well known as a disciplinarian and a generally unpleasant person among the majority of the crew. I got off the ladder.

The captain came down just fine. The admiral came down and he didn't just get paint on his hand. He had a line of white paint on his dress blues that was about 6 inches long. The captain glared at me. It seems silly but I was actually very afraid. It's not like I would be fired and would have to look for another job. I was an indentured servant and I was responsible to the captain. The standard punishment for captains mast, of which we had a few every week, was something like 45 restriction to the ship, 45 days extra duty (they mustered about 6 times a day in different uniforms), reduction in rank (and thus overall pay and respect), and reduction in pay for 90 days (on top of the reduction in rank). So I was afraid. Not only could I face this punishment but I would lose the respect of the superiors in my department. I would be assigned to every unwanted duty, the more disgusting the better. They would sometimes ridicule us while we were in their presence and we had no right to defend ourselves. I was typically spared this cruel punishment, but I could imagine myself being subjected to it. (I was ignored for the most part because I was quiet and did what I was told. I learned to be stealthy and pass without announcing my prescence, like a ninja.)

Thankfully the admiral smiled and kind of laughed. He just said "Don't worry about it." And signaled to the captain to continue on. Needless to say, that was the last time I put paint under the rail.

What was the question?
Huck MoM