It isn't worth fighting in McDonalds
- Apr 18, 2015
- 3 min read
I suppose I don’t think too much on it. At least not anymore, I used to feel far more divided from society than I do now. It took me a few years, and quite a bit of effort directed toward accepting the differences that I see between non-combat veterans and myself. Or maybe I’m just getting older and it matters far less to me.
Then something happens in my life to remind me of one of the many ways that I am supremely different than those who I encounter on a daily basis.
It started simply enough, we were running late to a social event for my fraternity (Accounting honors fraternity, not exactly Animal House). I was bringing the GF and kids along and we needed lunch. The line at McDonalds drive-in was too long so I decided to run inside. Two people in front of me, pretty easy, until the man at the register began to show the nervous cashier receipts from prior visits. Her response was always the same “Sir, we need to recalibrate the machine.”
What conversation takes place at McDonalds that requires the word “recalibrate?”
After about 7 minutes the lady in front of me, a young mother whose children were playing in the playground was about as frustrated as myself and shared in my sentiment. Nothing at McDonalds requires more than a 2-minute conversation with the cashier, if it does then you are most likely the issue. After 10 minutes the lady tapped the man in the shoulder and politely told him that there were people behind him who were waiting to order.
That was where things got ugly.
He was in her face.
She passed him along to me, as I stepped in to deescalate the situation.
The lady behind us made comments that didn’t deescalate the situation.
I kept trying to deescalate the situation.
He didn’t know that after 5 minutes of monopolizing the cashier I had sized him up, a relic of my warrior background. By my assessment unless he had some trick up his sleeve it would have been embarrassing for him.
I tried to remind him that this was McDonalds and nothing is that serious, but he wanted to take it outside. The kids were waiting in the car just outside the door. I don’t want to raise victims but what would have happened outside would not have been setting the example that I want to for the kids either.
I managed to keep his attention on me while I placed my order. Tried to keep him under control, when a big guy came over to “help” but only served to distract him and rile him up more. I just wanted to get my GF a Dr. Pepper.
In the end he walked out with his two Shamrock Shakes. I they were worth the energy he put into ordering them, the woman who had started him up came over and apologized. I laughed it off. The McDonalds staff had been silent observers of the entire exchange. I can’t blame them. They don’t get paid enough to handle problems like that. The way the young lady put my order together, her hands shaking and rushing I knew they were scared.
In the end I drew two conclusions from this. If you assume the world is a safe place anything to upset that conclusion will be quite traumatic for you. Veterans generally understand what evils lay in the hearts of men, because they have seen it. Also, the understanding of what is truly important in life. That young man was willing to bring violence into a McDonalds over two Shamrock shakes. Which are delicious, I won’t deny that, but not worth the potential consequences of a fight. Maybe he has never experienced losing a fight, it can be humbling. There is also the possibility that he felt as though by keeping everyone at bay with his outbursts he in some way won.
Also, remember to not do drugs, because you know, reasons.
I think that in the end the important takeaway here is to really look at the situation you are in and decide if your emotional reaction is really appropriate for the situation that you are in.
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