Generation M

We were traveling last week to a nearby city for a little get away. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for dinner. Always one of my favorite stops for the sourdough bread and veggie soup.

Anyway, I believe it was our young waiter's first day working, perhaps his first job anywhere. My husband ordered eggs with sausage patties on the side.

"Sausage comes in patties?" He asked. My husband kept a straight face and replied yes.

"And you want eggs and sausage and a side of sausage?" It seemed as if my husband was worried about confusing him too much and not getting patties at all. He said, yes.

Later when the food arrived, the eggs were scrambled not sunny side up, but we just smiled. When he filled the coffee he filled it a little too full and asked if my husband wanted a different one instead. He said no, he'd just drink it till it was the right size. I was reminded of the scene in some movie where the young apprentice buys his boss a small, medium and large coffee because he doesn't know what size the boss wants. It was so hard not to laugh through this whole scene. I could see my husband's shoulders shaking with holding in his mirth too.

My husband told me later that as we were leaving, the young waiter asked how he did and if everything was good.

"You did great," my husband said.

Some day, it will be our kids at their first jobs. And I hope other parents will be similarly amused and with luck, patient.