Dinner by the numbers
Some years ago, when Virgil and I, our three kids, and our friends Garry and Sherri Felts of Georgetown were on our way home from Florida, we stopped at a restaurant that looked like it would be a neighborhood favorite, nearly an institution, like Jocko’s once was in Corydon.
We were wrong. But that’s not the story.
The menu carried a wide variety of specials and combinations, each one having its own number.
I think it was Sherri who told the waitress she would like the fried chicken livers … ‘You have to order by number, ma’am,’ the waitress insisted. ‘Oh, OK,’ Sherri said. ‘Number 4.’
And so it went. If anyone made a mistake and tried to order the real McCoy, the waitress interrupted and insisted we order by number. We managed to muddle through and waited patiently for all the stuff to be served.
At this point, I have to tell you a few things about Garry. He always has little to say and is extremely easy to please and accommodating.
Back to the restaurant:
When the waitress delivered the food to our table, she began: ‘Who gets the chicken livers?’ ‘Who gets the hamburger?’
‘I know what I got,’ Garry said, decisively. ‘Number 7.’
What he got was a dirty look from the waitress and the rest of us hee-hawing. It was just too good, especially coming from Garry.
The point to this story is that everyone should have at least one similar tale to tell. The service was so atrocious, it made future bad restaurant service seen mild. If everything always went perfectly, this would be a pretty dull world.
Now, I’d like to tell you about one of our favorite waitresses at Cracker Barrel in Corydon:
Nancy
Nancy Simcoe, a pleasant, capable, always friendly waitress, was on her way home last week when a deer crashed through her windshield, knocking her unconscious (thank goodness for that), and kicking her mouth in, teeth and all.
She was airlifted to University Hospital in Louisville that Tuesday night and she was still there on Friday afternoon, the deadline for this article. Once she is well enough, there will be surgeries, including reconstructive surgery on her face.
Nancy was recovering but still in intensive care Friday.
I believe she would appreciate your prayers and, later, a ‘funny’ card. She has a neat sense of humor. You might also ask in the card how her sister’s doing. Sort of an inside joke that would show you care.
Get well, quick, Nancy. And back on the job.
__________
P.S. A former waitress who is a good friend has a system to eliminate the problem most servers have remembering who gets what. A simple numbering system can solve that. Just number the diners, say 1-2-3-4 and regardless of when they order, place the order in their seat number. For pre-printed order forms, place the chair number next to the order.
