Friday Freak-out

Loves the Boots Abuela Bought for Her

There I was enjoying a post First Friday dinner at my favorite local restaurant when events conspired to liven up a quiet night. Since I was alone (a seemingly constant condition) I sat at the bar at the local 99 and destroyed a healthy slice of prime rib. The place was packed as required on a Friday night dinner hour and I wasn’t paying a lot of attention at the usual gyrations and events going on surrounding me. I dutifully handed the bar tendress my credit card to pay my tab and prepared to leave. This transaction is usually very quick and efficient but for some unknown reason I didn’t get the card right back.

I eventually asked her where the bill was and she handed me back a bill with someone else’s card. I immediately called her attention to this and she grabbed the card and headed to the other end of the bar. I waited a full five minutes before she sheepishly came to apologize and reported that she had accidentally given my card to someone else who had since departed – cue the freak out. I have that card connected to so many of my automatic bill payments that I was thinking more of the pain it would be to change all that than worried about unauthorized charges.

Still Stylin

I asked her how this was possible. She said that someone at the other end of the bar had thrown up and his party left quickly and she accidentally gave them mine instead of their credit card. I then asked her, “So you gave my card to a drunk?!” She attempted to calm me down by assuring me that no the card had been given to the drunk’s harried date. This was supposed to make me feel better. It didn’t.

New Jersey Move in in Just About Complete

The manager came over, profusely apologized, and told me my meal was, of course, free. Somehow this just didn’t calm me down a great deal. She took my name and phone number and promised to track down the lady with my credit card and get it back to me. I wasn’t filled with a great deal of optimism at this point. I returned home and tried to watch a movie but I was a might distracted at this point. Buddy picked up on the agitation and was constantly checking the windows for the imminent attack I seemed to be expecting.

True to her word the manager called me a couple hours later and said she had contacted the lady with my card who was driving to the restaurant to drop it off and pick hers up (the one that was erroneously presented to me). I drove back to the 99, picked up my card and gave the manager a huge tip, truly appreciative of her efforts. Sometimes people do the right thing, now to check my credit card transaction on line to assure the drunk didn’t sneak any sales on to it. Since no one else was around – it was time for self-high five.

Today will be dedicated to doing my 2016 taxes which is always so much fun. I may need a beer or seven by the time this day is over.