The Fabulous Adventures of Five and the Birthday Weekend...

My birthday weekend was super-fun. End of story.

Not really end of story, actually.

Friday night my family and Robb and I went out for Chinese at Yen Ching. Yum. And my mom decided that leftovers in their fridge would just sit there, so she sent me home with SEVEN chinese takeout boxes. Seven! We're down to five, I think. But we had lemon chicken, two plates of happy family, twice-cooked pork, and two plates of Hong Kong chicken steak...oh, and Yen Ching Fried Rice that my mom ALWAYS orders and NEVER eats. And now...we're out one happy family and one lemon chicken and one twice-cooked pork. Holy hell...rice is coming out my ears!

Oh, and speaking of being out one happy family, Sunday was a delight. Note sarcasm. We crashed at Robb's dad's house Saturday night after hanging out in Chicago with his friends Amy, Erin, and Cari and going to thrift stores and finishing at Nookie's for dinner and dessert. Sunday morning we got up and showered, got ready for church, and Robb's dad was making breakfast. Robb asked who was coming over for Easter dinner, and his dad said that hateful brother-in-law and sister were coming with their kids. We expected that.

What we DIDN'T expect was Robb's dad suggesting we leave before they got there, so as to avoid trouble. Because apparently one side of this disagreement can't be trusted to be civil to each other over Easter dinner (although he never said that specifically, it's what the message meant). And I don't really fault Robb's dad for saying that. He doesn't know what to do about this while situation any more than we do. He's just trying his best to keep everyone happy and, well, up to now, failing miserably at keeping us happy at all.

So...we were both pissed off, and we packed our bags and left before church or brunch or anything. His dad wanted us to stay then, positively pleaded for us to stay. But really, the damage had been done and the day had been tainted, so...Robb and I left.

I called my mom and asked if they were doing anything for Easter, and she said no until I told her what happened. And then we went over there and had a delicious steak dinner. So...something was salvaged out of this while mess.

Ugh. Crappy Easter.

And the worst part of it all is that Robb is so torn up about this. It just makes me sick to see him hurting.

So...yeah...until Sunday morning, my birthday weekend was amazing! Blah.

Out

Above the Law...

Today I had a young customer at work who we've had problems with before, although I've never been the one to deal with him. In fact, I've never actually been there when he's come in with a problem, like the time he yelled at us for using his name. Today, however...

He mumbled something from the fourth lane of the drive up, something I didn't quite hear due to the rain and wind and train going by. I heard the words "money market" and "deposit in to checking." I thought he'd asked me to cash his check against his money market account and deposit it into his checking account. We don't cash checks and then deposit the cash into the account. It breaks policy when we do that. AND, when we DO do it, it's only with checks drawn off of our bank, since we can make sure the funds are available before cashing out the check (although we're asked not to even do that...). But when I looked at the check, it was drawn off another bank. We never cash out checks and deposit them if they're drawn off another bank. It's just bad business, easy fraud, etc.

So I figured I misheard him, and I deposited it into his checking account. He drove away, and a minute or two later, he sashayed into the lobby and flounced up to the counter. "I was just in the drive..."he started to tell Debbie when I walked up, "and he [pointing to me] was supposed to cash this check against my money market and deposit it into my checking account."

So I had heard him correctly.

I stepped in and told him that we don't cash out checks and deposit the cash, so I just deposited it into his account, and since it was drawn off another bank it would be available tomorrow. And then he threw this big hissy fit about how we were the only branch that gave him problems and how the people in Palatine did it for him all the time (totally breaking every rule we have). "This is ridiculous," he must have lisped at me across the counter four times.

My manager just explained to him that we don't do that. And he tried to explain to us how to do our job, how it was okay for us to break policy, and how he was above the law.

Umm....no.

And when he went in to talk to the manager, I counted my till and went home, since it was time for me to go.

I don't know what ended up happening in the end, but this little incident got me thinking. Why do we each think we're above the law? Why do the rules not apply to us? I'm sure there are places where you get special favors from the people there who know you, but do you then expect them? And do you expect them at other places, too?

At my favorite Chinese restaurant Yen Ching we almost always get a free egg roll or fried rice or something when we get take out, and we don't get charged for it because they love Robb and I there.



We're above the law.

At Pizza Hut I used to get free pizza because a friend of mine worked there. I was above the law.

But I don't expect to walk into any Pizza Hut and tell them I know Eric and they should give me free pizza. I know it's a courtesy and a favor because I have a relationship with someone that works there. I am not entitled (there's that word) to anything. I am not REALLY above the law. And I am not a pompus enough ass to think that I am, unlike my swishy "friend" from the bank today.

Are there places where you are above the law?

Out

Giving In...

I'm all for tips on saving money, on cutting a tiny bit here and there. I'm trying to cut way back on eating out when there's someting at home to eat. But sometimes...

For a few days now, I've been telling myself no. Keep driving, go home, have some chicken nuggets or a sandwich. Don't you dare turn left after you leave work. And all the while I've been telling myself that, I've known that I'm going to lose the argument. Let's be honest, I know myself, and I know I always get what I want in the end.

So, today I finally broke down and hit up McDonald's for a Quarter Pounder and an orange Hi-C drink. Yum.

The funny thing about it is that I don't really even like McDonald's. But sometimes I get it in my head that I want a Quarter Pounder and some Hi-C orange drink. I know I can put it off. I know I can tell myself no for a few days. But in the end...I always give in. And then it's months before I even think about eating McDonald's again without shuddering.

I'm a weakling. I take one look at those puppy dog eyes in my rearview mirror and...end of story.

So, now I'm sitting here feeling like a fatty with a QP in my belly and some Hi-C orange drink by my side. But I'm a happy fatty.

Out

The Gimp...

I forgot that I never mentioned this one.

The reason I've been away for a few days is simple: my boyfriend is a gimp.

He was on a ski trip (and I could stop there and let you all conclude the rest, as it's a fairly obvious story, but this one has a...twist) and went down a really steep hill. He didn't crash into a tree and he didn't fall down. In fact, he made it all the way down the hill. And when he'd reached flat ground (his nemesis, he'll tell you) he turned to take a photo of what he had conquered. And twisted his knee.

Yup.

There was a pop, and then he couldn't really use it. So, like any sane man, he skiied on it all day. And then he calls me at 10:30 at night to tell me he's outside of Madison and should be home in a few hours. Okay...

So I got to tend to him all weekend. Saturday we drove to Mokena to get his crutches from his dad's place. And then we went to a birthday party. And Sunday was spent entirely indoors because neither of us wanted to go out.

And I was running to get things for him, to find his crutches, carrying things, openeing doors, etc.

So that's where I was.

Side note: When we went out to eat on Saturday, I was filling our drinks when our order came up. A complete stranger offered to bring our food to our table when he saw that the order they'd called belonged to the man on crutches. See? People aren't always bad. Oh, but my boyfriend told the guy I'd get it, knowing that a drink in each hand isn't enough to carry.

*shakes head*

I love him. And that's why I didn't mind being away.

Anywho...I'll stop rambling.

Out