the walls here are so thin...
By diana on Sep 29, 2012 | In capricious bloviations
I can tell what kind of beer one of my suitemates drinks from the key of the clinks as he puts them in his fridge. (Well almost. I have it narrowed down to Bud Ice and Sam Adams. I'm loathe to check his trash as that would destroy the suspense.)
I'm in Navy lodging at Norfolk. The digs are actually quite nice (and the bed is to die for).
I think I'm over my thrill of being able to eat American food already, on accounta it seems like it will be awesome until I go somewhere and pay a lot for a steak only to realize that I could have cooked one myself that was far superior for one-fifth of the price.
This morning, I went to IHOP. I felt like having a good, fatty, American breakfast--something you can't get in Izmir unless you cook it yourself. I sat down, all alone in a section. The waitress popped by not three minutes later and offered me something to drink while I looked over the menu. I said, "No need to wait. I'll take a bottomless cup of coffee and a Breakfast Sampler, over hard."
She said, "Oh! Ok. Would you like hot syrup with that?"
ME: Sure.
So I return to my Swype conversation. A party of six is seated to my right and a party of two to my left. Both parties order. Both parties get their food. Not twenty minutes later, I get my coffee. The waitress comes by, asks the party of six if they need anything, and one says, "I'm missing my pancakes."
I pipe up from where I am in the midst of both parties and say, "I'd like my food."
HER: Oh. I'm sorry, Ma'am. Coming right up.
ME: Thank you.
Not fifteen minutes later, while both of the other parties are sitting back and belching quietly to themselves, I get my food. Lady who delivers food (not my waitress) says, "Does that look right?" There's no hot syrup, but I nod and lay to. I'm rather hungry by now, as you might imagine and the food is...breathtakingly unremarkable. This is not the IHOP I remember.
My waitress comes back by twice while I'm trying to eat and asks if she can get anything else. I ignore her. Seriously? The damage was done 45 minutes ago. You cannot undo it now.
And no, I did not tip. There is no excuse I can imagine which would justify such a pathetic excuse for "service." I've seen waitresses who were having a bad day--hell, I've been one--and totally ignoring a customer while providing more-than-adequate service to other tables who were seated after me is not the sort of thing that happens. When you're a waitress and you have a bad day, pretty much everyone gets a piece of your joy.
Ugh. I'm getting old.
Now, I'm off to read most of the classic philosophical not-entirely-concise book Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations, by Michael Walzer. I'm trying to forget my overriding question about how anyone could take such a fascinating subject and make it so tedious so I can concentrate, but with limited success.
Y'all be good.
d
9 comments
Diana,
Yeah, IHOPs aren’t what they used to be. We went there several times a few years ago because my wife loved the stuffed French toast, but the service was a lot like you describe most trips so we gave up.
Enjoy Norfolk. We stayed there once on vacation because it was cheaper than Virginia Beach. Dad spent a lot of time there courtesy of Uncle Sam but he wouldn’t tell me about any of the places he used to hang out. (He was probably afraid Mom would hear.)
Hi, Dave. :)
Norfolk would be wonderful, it if weren’t for all the squids and the lack of parking spaces. It’s lovely, though. Just full of Marines, and what’s not to love about that….
I give up on IHOPS. I may be persuaded to go to one someday again, but they’re off my list of “great places to get a good breakfast.” It wasn’t just the service, either, so I have reason my tastes are changing, anyway.
I’d be living the good life here, but I spend most of my time doing the readings for my class (Joint and Combined Warfighting School). I seem to be one of the few who tries to keep up, but then, I suspect it’s because I’m one of the slowest when it comes to learning joint doctrine and such. I’ll be fine, but it’s far more work than most people told me it would be.
On the good side? I get to see my wife next weekend! :) Life is good.
Hope you and yours are well. :)
d
Marines are great as long as they’re on your side. (grin) It’s funny, but of my kids’ friends who went to the military after finishing high school, all but one joined either the Air Force or the Marine Corps. The odd one out enlisted in the Coast Guard. Doesn’t anybody join the Army any more?
It took me a minute to figure out what you meant by squids. I grew up hearing them called swabbies. Around here squids are idiots on motorcycles.
I’m glad you get to see your wife soon. I’ll bet she’s glad too. Email just isn’t the same as seeing the one you love smile.
Dave
I make it a point for Marines to ALWAYS be on my side. ;)
“Swabbies.” Got it. I’m not sure, but maybe “squids” is slightly more complementary? at least it’s nicer than “seamen.”
By the way, Dave. Thank your chirrens for me. Rock on, Davelets!
Imma get to see Mich for a couple of days before i have to head back. This will give us adequate time to pet the dogs, pet the cats, pet the cats some more, argue about something, repair some random something, go out to eat, maybe sleep in bu……..t no. Dog needs out now. And maybe a hot bath. But you know what? It’ll be home, and it’ll be heaven. :)
d
Diana,
My girls didn’t join up, but their friends did. I have to say, they’ve shown pretty good taste in friends. Their Mom must have done something right.
I think squid might just be a newer term. Dad started his career during the 1950s, and some of his word choices showed it. Marines were still jarheads back then though.
I had a Scoutmaster once who said that “home is where you can scratch where it itches.” I don’t think I’ve found a better definition yet.
Dave
Your Scoutmaster was right. ;) Best definition ever.
I’ve heard of Swabbies, but Squid is something I’ve heard the flyboys call them since the 80s. :)
Marines are still jarheads, btw. I like them, though, so I call them Marines. ;)
d
We had three sets of brothers in the Navy during WWII (one had something that sent him home with a health diability before finishing basic. The others went through the full time and came home safely.
I posted the info to say that they were all called Swabbies, since they were in the Navy—and many of them had to swab the decks quite a lot! I think that was the original meaning of the term.
Spend your money at Village Inn, instead. Have never had bad service or food there.
On a different note, our oldest enlisted in the Army Nat’l Guard. He’s completed Basic and AIT and is now a Combat Medic. That’s another good guy to have on your side!
Peachy, there’s no Village Inn here. I looked. ;)
Aunt Bann, the more I know of military history, the more I realize how incredibly lucky our family was in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
Love you!
d
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