Tuesday, April 23, 2013

A Dollar Short; April 23, 2013

Since I've gone into a self-imposed social media blackout, I've really limited my online exposure to checking e-mail and doing the things necessary to support me!  :) 

It has already proven to be a needed mental break and one I need to figure out how to continue into the future.

Having been gone for most of four days (Friday-Monday), I took the opportunity to take Waverly out to dinner Monday evening.

We went to one of our favorite places to eat, BJ's Brewhouse in Shenandoah. 

I think that this time is what I will miss the most when she goes off to school in August at Liberty University.

I think taking - and making - time like this is what has made our father-daughter relationship as special as I believe it is.  Some might say it is what I should do regardless.  That may be true, but I cherish the time nonetheless.

We had a chance to visit about what was left to transpire during her final six weeks of high school and talked about many things as she continues to prepare for her first semester at Liberty. 

It is an exciting time in her life and she's doing an excellent job in planning for those next stages in it.

The exchange with the server, though, was quite interesting, and I didn't get a good vibe from the beginning.

She was one of those that gives you the impression that it is "just a job" to them. 

Nonetheless, we were well-waited on even though we didn't have an appetizer, dessert or drinks (not that Waverly can or would - and I can, but don't).

The bill was $26.20 and I gave the server two 20-dollar bills.  My plan was once I got change back was to tip the server $5 - more than 20% of the amount before taxes.

When she brought the portfolio back, there was $12.80 in change and not $13.80. 

I looked over it for awhile to make sure that a dollar bill didn't slip out somewhere and even had Waverly look at it to be sure that I didn't mess anything up (and that I was counting it right!)

After a minute or two of considering my options, I said to Waverly that I wasn't going to worry over a dollar and that if there was an irregularity that it would be on the server's conscious, not mine. 

So I placed my tip ($5, as planned) in the portfolio, closed it and just as I was beginning to move out of the booth, the server asked, "Did I not give you the right change?"

It wasn't, "Is there a problem?" or "You look troubled, 'How can I help?'", but rather the aforementioned question.

I informed her that it was short a dollar.  She offered to give it to me, but I refused and we politely left (but also didn't look back). 

Maybe I was weak and should have pushed the issue, but it wasn't worth the drama and the uneasiness that went with it even though I know that it was short.

Perhaps it was an honest mistake.  And if so, maybe she needed that dollar yesterday more than I did.

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