"SO You Say!"

I knew I was in trouble as soon as I saw the quizzical look she gave me.

“Over medium”, I repeated. She looked really confused; I continued with my order, now wondering if my eggs would come out the way I like them.

“Will you make sure to circle that, so the cook won’t miss it?” I really wasn’t worried about the cook, but the way this was going, I wanted to be sure she knew enough to write it down. I was beginning to wonder about her experience.

“Oh, we don’t ever make undercooked eggs,” She emphasized.

“Yes, you do”, I laughed. “I had some last time I was here.” Everyone makes that mistake sometimes”, and I started to explain over medium doesn’t mean I am worried about them being undercooked for health reasons; over medium simply means they are just a little more done than over easy.  But she interrupted me again and I didn’t get to give an explanation of what I wanted.

I probably shouldn’t have said anything, but I have been disappointed with my eggs far too many times. I decided to make a habit of making sure the waitress, and therefore the cook would see that I wanted my eggs over medium…Most people ask for over easy or scrambled.  It’s easy to just do things from rote and make a simple mistake.

Truth is I have had this conversation many times with my brother-in-law who has been a cook for almost 40 years. “You are the only one that gets my eggs right!” I have told him on a number of occasions. And he has explained that he isn’t surprised, not getting eggs over medium when requested is a common error.

Over easy has a runny yoke and often has even some of the white still runny.  Over medium leaves the yoke still runny but the whites are thoroughly cooked, with even the outer edges of the yoke beginning to cook. I have never had to explain that to my brother-in-law; he always just knew, and he always gets it right.

It wasn’t long before our breakfasts came, and I was checking out my eggs to see if the cook had got it right. “They are ok”, I told my son; after the way our order went, he was wondering as well.  “Not quite as cooked as they should be, but I can live with it.”  I was hoping the waitress didn’t ask me; I didn’t want to beat this dead horse.

She went by a few times, and then came over and asked me how the eggs were.  “They are ok”, I responded, but apparently not enthusiastic enough for her.

“Well, are they done enough?” she pressed.

“Not quite.” I should have lied, I guess. I didn't, so I quickly repeated, “But they’re ok”. 

Her eyes got big, and her expression said, “Oh, brother!” Gosh, I hate to think I saw her roll her eyes….

“Well, you want over hard, then,” she lectured in a condescending tone.  “Next time just tell them you want over hard.”

"This is what you want," she said.
Does this look like over medium to you?

No, I started to explain that I didn’t want over hard, that I knew what that was and it wasn’t what I wanted.  But she wouldn’t let me get that out either.

“I told the cook exactly what you wanted. I explained it all!”  Is she taking this personally, I wondered.

Now, I was getting exasperated, she didn’t know when to let it go and just leave us to eat and enjoy our meal.

“I said they are ok”, I said firmly. “I don’t want to get in an argument with you and ruin my breakfast.”

“Oh you misunderstood!” she exclaimed. And began rattling on about something; at this point I didn’t listen.

I misunderstood! I thought to myself…there it is again….she is telling me I’m the one that doesn’t get it. I’m the one that is wrong. Holy cow!

I wanted to tell her I work in this business, too…and I do know over medium from over hard eggs.  I wanted to tell her I have been eating my eggs this way, for more than double the years she has been alive, but of course I didn’t say all that and wisely didn't.

I gave up.  I interrupted her this time. “I’m not going to argue.” I told her emphatically.  She kept on. I had to get direct with a firmness that would get her attention.  “You can leave now.” I finally said.

When do people stop to listen?  When do people quit knowing it all?  Even how one likes ones eggs!! When do youth respect the advice or counsel of someone old enough to be their grandma - or maybe even stop to think they might have something they could learn?

Not going to happen on this day. Things were going south fast.  At this point my son and I just wanted out of there. It was really a lousy beginning to what otherwise should be a nice day.

“Wow, she has a lot to learn!” I said as we got into the car.  “Does anyone these days know the old adage: ‘The customer is always right.’?” I asked him. I mean even if I was wrong about the eggs, I would have never and I mean never argued with a customer like that.

 

I must still be pondering it in my head to make me want to write about it.  Crazy! I do try to have patience with people in that industry.  Working as a waitress, I do understand how difficult that job is.  It is no piece of cake, believe me! People can be so difficult at times. But, on the other hand, a waitresses job is to serve, not change someone's mind about what they want to eat; or even more to tell them they are wrong about what they eat.  
I yi yi!

 

I know this is a just a little thing that has no meaning at all in the big scheme of life. Or, I could turn it into a lengthy essay on the arrogance and pride of man/woman.  I'll spare you.  I will just leave you with this thought, with which this young lady was probably raised:

 

I am Sam

I am Sam

Sam I am

That Sam-I-am

That Sam-I-am!

I do not like

that Sam-I-am

Do you like

green eggs and ham

I do not like them,

Sam-I-am.

I do not like

green eggs and ham.

Would you like them

Here or there?

I would not like them

here or there.

I would not like them

anywhere.

I do not like

green eggs and ham.

I do not like them,

Sam-I-am

Would you like them

in a house?

Would you like them

with a mouse?

I do not like them

in a house.

I do not like them

with a mouse.

I do not like them

here or there.

I do not like them

anywhere.

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Would you eat them

in a box?

Would you eat them

with a fox?

Not in a box.

Not with a fox.

Not in a house.

Not with a mouse.

I would not eat them here or there.

I would not eat them anywhere.

I would not eat green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Would you? Could you?

in a car?

Eat them! Eat them!

Here they are.

I would not ,

could not,

in a car

You may like them.

You will see.

You may like them

in a tree?

not in a tree.

I would not, could not in a tree.

Not in a car! You let me be.

I do not like them in a box.

I do not like them with a fox

I do not like them in a house

I do mot like them with a mouse

I do not like them here or there.

I do not like them anywhere.

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

A train! A train!

A train! A train!

Could you, would you

on a train?

Not on a train! Not in a tree!

Not in a car! Sam! Let me be!

I would not, could not, in a box.

I could not, would not, with a fox.

I will not eat them with a mouse

I will not eat them in a house.

I will not eat them here or there.

I will not eat them anywhere.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Say!

In the dark?

Here in the dark!

Would you, could you, in the dark?

I would not, could not,

in the dark.

Would you, could you,

in the rain?

I would not, could not, in the rain.

Not in the dark. Not on a train,

Not in a car, Not in a tree.

I do not like them, Sam, you see.

Not in a house. Not in a box.

Not with a mouse. Not with a fox.

I will not eat them here or there.

I do not like them anywhere!

You do not like

green eggs and ham?

I do not

like them,

Sam-I-am.

Could you, would you,

with a goat?

I would not,

could not.

with a goat!

Would you, could you,

on a boat?

I could not, would not, on a boat.

I will not, will not, with a goat.

I will not eat them in the rain.

I will not eat them on a train.

Not in the dark! Not in a tree!

Not in a car! You let me be!

I do not like them in a box.

I do not like them with a fox.

I will not eat them in a house.

I do not like them with a mouse.

I do not like them here or there.

I do not like them ANYWHERE!

I do not like

green eggs

and ham!

I do not like them,

Sam-I-am.

You do not like them.

SO you say.

Try them! Try them!

And you may.

Try them and you may I say.

Sam!

If you will let me be,

I will try them.

You will see.

Say!

I like green eggs and ham!

I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!

And I would eat them in a boat!

And I would eat them with a goat...

And I will eat them in the rain.

And in the dark. And on a train.

And in a car. And in a tree.

They are so good so good you see!

So I will eat them in a box.

And I will eat them with a fox.

And I will eat them in a house.

And I will eat them with a mouse.

And I will eat them here and there.

Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!

I do so like

green eggs and ham!

Thank you!

Thank you,

Sam-I-am.

See how well that turned out?  Maybe I should write an expose on the dangers of Dr. Seuss...