Shhhh! Don’t tell a Soul
Mrs. C and I
go out to eat two or three times a week.
Mrs. C works three nights a week and doesn’t like to cook on her nights
off. We don’t do fancy, generally some
local restaurants and a few of the Highway Chain restaurants.
A few weeks ago,
during dinner, I was admiring my wine glass at one of those restaurants. The restaurants logo was etched in the glass.
“I really
like theses glasses; I wonder if they have them for sale?”
“I doubt
it, I didn’t see any on display.”
I did not
the pursue the subject any further.
After
dinner, Mrs. C ordered a carrot cake to go.
The waitress returned with the check and the cake container in a paper
bag.
“What are
you leaving as a tip?”
“Twenty
percent…why.”
“Add an
extra two dollars.”
“Why?”
“Just add
an extra $2”
“OK.”
We paid the
bill and left. When we got in the car,
I grabbed the bag with the dessert. It
felt funny. I peeked in.
“No way,
you took the wine glass!”
“You
liked it. That’s why I said to tip the
waitress an extra $2…so you wouldn’t feel guilty.”
“I’ve
never stole anything in my life except a 30-cent yoyo from JJ Newberry’s, and
that is when I was 12. They went out of
business or I would go back today and give them the thirty cents.”
“The wine
glass will not put the restaurant out of business, it will just be written off
as ‘breakage.’”
“Still,
it’s not right…but the glass is cool.”
We have
since collected wine glasses from “Bonefish”, “Longhorns” and tonight we scored
at “Outback.”
The glasses
are nice, but I do feel pretty guilty even if we do give the waitress an extra
tip. The guilt tends to eat away at me. I do not like stealing.
Next week we
are going to “Red Lobster.”
Nice collection you got going! I have to confess. In our younger days when hubby was playing in bands, we would like the cutlery and some of the drink glasses at places he played in. They may (did) find a home with us. I don't think we have any of them left. It would be nice if the chains did offer you to buy the drink and keep the glass. It is a money making thing for them; surprised a lot haven't done it (I've mostly seen it at wineries for wine tasting where you can get the glass as part of the tasting or may extra for it).
ReplyDeletebetty
You crack me up lol. I bought one with happy birthday on it for a dollar at the dollar store.Yes you paid for it.
ReplyDeleteoh i feel quite embarrass when hear such brave stories dear Joe believe
ReplyDeleteduring my prayer i complain to Lord for making me so coward :(
i want to experience the adventure once in life but there is something weirdly roped me and i am stuck lol
i liked the collection you made and wishing you best of luck for next adventure :)
I have to say, that is not something I would do, but I suppose it makes for an interesting collection.
ReplyDeleteYou do realize that you have just put your confession with photos of the evidence on the Internet for all to see. If they put you in the pokey, be sure to keep up the blog. Bet there are some really neat stories in lock up:))
ReplyDeleteOh this made me laugh! Kinda reminded me of the 1970s, when my family (parents, 3 boys, 3 girls--a real Brady Bunch) went on vacation every summer. Soon after returning home, you'd see a white towel with a big green strip & "Holiday Inn" in it's center, with the other towels in the linen closet. My dad would go ballistic--"Ok which one of you kids pilfered this!" We all knew it was Mom, but no one ever said a word! Over the years we wound up with a nice Holiday Inn collection :)
ReplyDeleteI have a collection of beer mugs and a set of 4 tall smoky glasses from my college days. I'm pretty sure the establishments still turned a profit from my patronage, though details are hazy. I also recall a tall patterned Red Lobster glass, that was used to serve a "Lighthouse." I'm not sure if it actually came free with the drink, which was potent enough to require a designated driver.
ReplyDeleteMy wife just noticed a plastic swizzle stick in our collection from Maggiano's Little Italy in San Francisco. We've had it and a handful of others from various places for years and years. But I don't think the restaurants re-use them so I didn't leave an extra tip.
ReplyDeleteYou might ask if the wait staff if you could buy a wine glass? SOunds like Mrs. C has you started on a slippery slope here.
ReplyDeleteYou two are so funny.
Olga is right, just ask. We've done that, and been told yes and they just add it to the bill.
ReplyDeleteOh, I am a bit surprised. Maybe a bit more than $2 would cover it though. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhy should you feel guilty...Mrs. C's the one who slipped it into the carrot cake. Now that's love for you! Happy Sweetest Day!
ReplyDeleteI get that you don't like stealing, but you are paying for the glasses via your tip. If it makes you feel better, pay extra. When I was very young a lot of our silverware was stamped SAR and when I grew up I realised it stood for South Australian Railways. My dad must have got it from the dining car somehow.
ReplyDeleteI'm shattered.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.