this is why i love america

I'm going to preface this story by saying that I discovered today that McDonald's is a mere three-minute walk from my front door. There's even a direct sidewalk leading there. While this does not appear to bode well for my future health, I'd like to argue that at least I got six minutes of exercise in the process of hunting and gathering my lunch today. Also, I forgot to eat breakfast so I was EXTRA hungry. Anyways, at around 12:15 I arrived at McDonald's for lunch. There were about five people in line ahead of me so I joined the crowd. After I had been standing for a couple minutes, my attention was drawn up to the counter by a lady who, having cut to the front of the line, was barking angrily at the very nice, mild-mannered older woman behind the register. I missed the first part of their exchange, but this is where I tuned in:

customer: (at the decibel level of perhaps a sports announcer, and the annoyance level of someone dealing with a particularly stubborn small child) "All I'm asking is if those salads have fresh chicken on them or if it's just been sitting there cold on the salad!"

manager: "No, ma'am, the chicken is fresh."

customer: (Seemingly dumbfounded and disoriented by the realization that there might not be anything left to complain about, she turns around and notices the line of customers waiting as if for the first time.) "Is THAT the line to order?!?"

manager: "Yes, the line ends with that lady right there."

customer: (horrified expression on her face, as if the manager had just informed her that the chicken for the salads was obtained from the dumpster out back) Goodness, I'm not THAT hungry! (shaking head, she turns around and marches back out the door.)

I'd like to point out that the line contained exactly four people. Had Mrs. Fresh-Chicken-Only skipped the interrogation process and simply joined the line, at least two of us probably could have placed our orders by that time.

All I can say is that it least it gave the rest of us in line a good chuckle, and at least one of us something to blog about.