Work it out

I was in Pecos Texas yesterday for lunch. My wife, having exhausted all of her patience with me, dragging her all around Texas, was done with it all, so we went to Pizza Hut instead of eating local food. She was tired, so it was the best thing to do. After shooting some shots at the local museum, we were on our way.

It was right at eleven o'clock, so we were the second customers. The kitchen was hopping with all of the last minute Sunday afternoon end-of-the-year orders. The oil workers need pizza too, it seems. The salad bar was empty and the chairs was creaky and the table was sticky from the night before. Having grown up in Wichita, Kansas, Pizza Hut was home.

Our server was new, so we didn't get the 411 about what types of crusts there were. That was alright. Just bring me the deep-dish. I ordered water and my wife ordered lemonade. Her salad came and we talked about our trip seeing all of my aunts and uncles scattered hither and yon about the great Lone Star State. It was a good time of reflection. We had just visited my mother's grave in the thriving metropolis of Grandfalls.

Our veggie pizza came out and we were happy with the taste. The kitchen knew what they were doing, even if our server didn't. Things were fine, but quickly we got a to-go box so we could eat on the road. I boxed it all up and off my wife went to the car.

$25.92? That wasn't right. How was my wife's lemonade $8? Who drinks an eight dollar lemonade unless it's got something in it to give you a kick? I asked the cashier if that was the right price and that I would like a to-go lemonade as well while the rest of the ticket printed. I signed my name to the ticket with no tip.

She brought the lemonade to me from the drive-thru window area and I pointed it out to her that there were two charges for lemonade and that I had left no tip. I told her that it was her decision to either fix the check and give the server the four dollars for the extra lemonade we did not drink or that she could keep the ticket the way it was and choose to give the server no tip.

"Work it out." I said, as I opened the door to the outside, leaving behind the worst Pizza Hut I had ever been to.

Lemonade. $8 a glass, at the Pecos, Texas, Pizza Hut.