the ranger

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"Just so there's no mistake"

"Let's go in here!" I suggested after perusing the window-displayed
menu.

"Interesting?" SWMBO asked.

"Well, yeah. You and I will like it at least."

SWMBO looked in at the beige linen covered tables. "I don't know..." she
voiced the unnecessary concern.

"Feh." I turned to face the daughter-units, "Girls?"

"Yes dad?" all three chimed in unison.

"We're planning on eating here..." There was much clapping and excited
jumping. "But..." I paused, "You all see the set-up. Best manners. No
yelling. No jumping up and down. We're not going to Chuck's or McDs. You
all understand what is expected." I turned and faced Spawn. "You _all_
know what is expected."

"Yes, dad," she smiled and clapped.

We walked through the doors and were engulfed in a wave of cold air.
Every hair on my arm stood on end. "Is it that hot outside?" I whispered
to SWMBO as we finished walking up to the host's station. An older man,
60'ish greeted us like we were just-arrived family. His funky accent and
genial attitude quickly had the girls giggling and laughing.

"May I get you drinks?"

"Absolutely." I volunteered.

"The girls would like two Cokes and a horchata."

"Horchata? Yes! Very good."

"We'd also like to try a local bottle of sauvignon blanc. I saw that you
have quite a list. Is there one that you'd recommend?"

He pursed his lips, tapped his finger to his lips and looked
ceilingward. "Ah!" he exclaimed seconds later. "I would drink this with
every meal!"

"You can't get a better endorsement than that," I smiled. "Sounds good
to me."

"I will return very quickly. Maria!" he bellowed and clapped his hands.

I felt like we were at dinner theater, center seating. I looked across
the table to SWMBO, "He'll return quickly."

And he did. The bottle in hand, he poured, I tasted, nodded with a
smile, letting the peppered pears and cinnamon apples wash over my
tongue. He poured another glass for SWMBO and then iced the bottle with
a professionalism that spoke years of training.

"Good, no?"

"Awesome. Thank you."

He smiled and looked down at the table. The smile disappeared behind a
frown. "Where are their drinks? They should be here already! Excuse me,
please. Maria!"

I picked up the menu and started looking through the selections.
Standard Latino foods with some house specials featured in the middle of
the menu. "I think you three might like this," I said pointing to the
side bar area. Quesadillas and flautas, burritos and tacos, sides of
rice or beans were described with ample zest and vigor.

Daughter-unit Alpha closed her menu, already decided. "Do you think I
might get some queso fresco added to a burrito?"

"I don't know. Ask."

Spawn and Daughter-unit Beta also closed their menus.

"Decided?"

Both shook their heads in affirmation. Our host returned as SWMBO and I
closed our menus.

"Here are your drinks. Maria is your waitress. She'll be here shortly,"
he smiled but I knew the tone of an unhappy manager.

"We're in no rush," I smiled.

"Ah... That's the way to enjoy your meal then!"

"Girls?" SWMBO looked around the table. "I think you all need to wash
your hands." The three immediately got up, pushed their chairs in, and
filed towards the restroom. "I think I'll do the same."

I sat back in the chair and relaxed.

"What can I get you?"

I turned to the new voice and didn't say anything at first. Maria looked
to be about 18 or 19. I saw that both eyebrows and her nose were pierced
in several areas and squiggles adorned her arms and face. Her knuckles
were particularly colorful with the coral snake dancing across them.
"You must be Maria."

"What can I get you?" she repeated in that teenangster's annoyed tone.

"Why don't you wait for everyone to return?" I suggested, ending the
conversation on my end.

"I'm busy."

I looked around the restaurant. "Yeah. Slammed. I said you'll wait for
everyone to return."

A tsk hissed into the air as she swished away.

Pretty soon all four of my MIA Clan returned. "I think I need to wash up
a little, too." I stood up and looked to the back where they'd returned.
The restroom sign pointed through the curtained-off doorway. "That way?"

"Yep," Spawn volunteered.

"If 'Maria' comes back, I'll have this." I said pointing to the
combination platter.

"'If?'"

"She's not thrilled working our table." I said as way of explaining.

I walked through the back and to the restroom. The hallway was tight
with things resting against the walls on either side. Storage: the bane
of every restaurant. The restroom was clean and bright. It was a good
sign. I washed up and came back out. As I entered the hallway again, I
saw our waitress in the bullpen. Cigarette held down at her side,
blowing the white cloud skyward. I shook my head as I turned and headed
back out to my table.

"Has our order been taken yet?" I asked.

"No. No sign..."

"Can high take your order?" our host had appeared without a sound.

"Yes, please," SWMBO finished smoothly.

We quickly ordered, including the burrito with queso fresco, our host
writing everything down quickly and making suggestions along the way. He
repeated the orders and walked to the back. The wait for the meal was
sedate. We talked about the trip to the Mission with the private tour of
we'd been given of several areas. I was suggesting how a thank you note
might be in order for receiving such a tour when Maria stormed through
the back with a tray loaded to bear on her shoulder.

"Burrito. Double rice and beans. Quesadilla. Combo. Small combo."

It was an efficient delivery but the lack of personality being displayed
was underwhelming. I cocked my eyebrow and looked across at SWMBO. I saw
The Look as Maria exited. "I'm thinking she doesn't wanna be here." I
smiled.

"Ya think?"

"Well, let's eat. Food smells good and I'm hungry."

The food was good! Refrieds made from scratch with real lard. Spanish
rice with solid tomato taste and mild kick of heat. Chimichanga
deep-fried to perfection. Enchiladas with a sauce that I couldn't get
enough... There was little noise made during our meal as everyone set to
and devoured everything.

When everyone finished, we set the silverware across the plates and
started talking again.

"Can we get desserts?" D-uA asked.

I was about to respond when I heard the telltale monotone, "Can I get
you anything else?"

"We were just wondering about desserts. What do you have?" SWMBO was
looking up at Maria with a flinty glare.

Maria sighed dramatically and walked away.

I laughed. "This is almost comical now." Well, it _was_ funny to me!

Our host returned, a storm cloud clearly funneling over his head. He
pushed a cart loaded with six desserts towards our table. "You will love
our desserts!" he exuberantly exclaimed. "My chef makes them every day!"

"If the meals are any indication of his dessert abilities, we'll be
loving them, too!" I laughed.

The cart stopped in front of me and I immediately saw the flan. "That's
mine." I said without ceremony.

"Ah... Good choice!"

"Can I have that chocolate cake?" Alpha asked.

"Ah, not just chocolate but chocolate from Argentina! The best!"

"Can we have the fruit cup?" Spawn and Beta requested.

"Absolutely! I will have him dust them with some sugar for you. Ma'dam?"

"The creme brulee, please."

"May we have two coffees, too?" I asked.

"Regular or Argentinean?"

"A regular for her; Argentinean for me. No sugar or cream."

"Very good!"

A new employee appeared and removed all the dirty dishes from our table.
Maria appeared to set down the desserts and coffees but said nothing.

The desserts were the peak of the meal. D-uA announced that her inner
chocolate demons had been quelled. I was also buzzed very nicely from my
cafe.

As we sat relaxing, Maria appeared for the final time. "Anything else?"

"The check maybe?" I smiled.

She tossed it at the table. I picked it up and reviewed it. "You can
leave now." I said without looking up.

Maria stood there unmoving.

The host came over to the table. "Can I take that sir?"

"Yes. Thank you. Here's the cash."

Maria watched me hand everything over to the host, still unmoving.

I turned to the host, "I want to thank you for a VERY enjoyable meal. I
would come back here in a heartbeat. And, just so there's no mistake,
this," I said, passing another bill to him, "should hopefully cover your
service."

Maria tsked again and swished into the back.

The Ranger

ommanipadmeomelet

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Well done... ;-)

I don't tip for poor service either, and have been known to hand the tip
to the party that earned it......

Ya think she learned anything?

A really good waiter or waitress can earn very good money just being
personable.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

chatty cathy

<some snipping>


As usual, a very well written anecdote, Ranger. I hope she got the
message... My only fear is that she is a "relative" of his and was
hoping to be fired....
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

-l.

LOL...she was probably his D-uB.

-L.

my word

Makes you wonder if M&D have said get a job or get out and since she's not
qualified for anything she's stuck where she definitly doesn't want to be.
She wouldn't be there long if I employed her. Perhaps she's family.
Hmmm.

--
My Word
in
FERGUS/HARLINGEN
http://www.mompeagram.homestead.com/index.html

ommanipadmeomelet

Most likely...

There can be drawbacks to nepotism. ;-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

damsel in dis dress

I hope the little bitch got fired.

Carol

virginia tadrzynski

A tip to the actual server and, since you were being observed intently, bus
fare to be given to the waitstaff to get her to the local employment office
to help her find a job 'better suited to her skills'.
-ginny

julia altshuler

What was the name of the Sauvignon Blanc? Of if you don't remember the
name exactly, what country was it from?


--Lia

the ranger

Monterey, Central California, USA; and damned if I can remember the
name! I've been trying since yesterday... I wanted to get a case of the
stuff from Bev-More!

The Ranger