Taking Away Bread a Crummy Thing to do

By Andrea Freedman

The other day I went out for a lunch with a friend to a café which I have frequently been a patron of in the past. There is a particular salad I usually order there, which up until recently had come with a nice little piece of fresh bread and butter on the side, included in the price. The difference this time was that when my salad was presented, there was no bread in sight.

Imagine my surprise when I inquired about the missing bread and was told that I would have to pay an extra charge if I wanted what had formerly been complementary. I was appalled that the coffee shop had decided to cut corners this way, without a care in the world as to how their regular, loyal customers would react to it and I opted not to have the bread at all, not because it was particularly expensive, but rather as a matter of principle.

When I expressed my feelings to the cashier, rather than taking what I said into consideration, he seemed almost offended that I had the nerve to even say anything in the first place.

It reminded me of another incident several years ago when I was out for yet another lunch at a bagel place with one of my other friends. When my friend went to pay she noticed that there was no butter to accompany her bagel. When she was informed that if she wanted butter she would have to pay extra for it, she was so disgusted with the establishment’s penny pinching (there were still pennies back then) that she told them to keep their bagel – and of course their butter – and stormed out, with me following gladly behind her in admiration.

I found it ridiculous when I was out at a restaurant where the waiter informed me that as many of their restaurant’s menu items were served on top of little pieces of toast, they decided to stop serving bread on its own.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I personally used to enjoy a basket of warm, freshly baked bread when I went out to dinner. These days, it seems as though it is like pulling teeth to get a simple piece of bread, and quite often it is brought to the table reluctantly, sometimes only after repeated requests.

I realize that many people try to avoid carbs for dietary reasons but I am not one of them and I think customers should be given a choice. Prices are rising and customer service is not what it once was. It seems as though we are constantly being charged more money but being given less for it.

Business owners should keep in mind that being a little more generous and a little less stingy with things like bread could result in happier customers and more dough in the pockets of restaurant owners in the long run. Otherwise, if they continue to take things away, especially something that costs them so little, they just might see more and more of their proverbial bread and butter walking out the door.♠

 

 

Copyright © by Andrea Freedman 2017

 

No Rhyme or Reason

By Andrea Freedman

It’s been one year since you’ve been gone,
Since you went away;
And still you’re always in my thoughts
Each and every day

Today I won’t be able
To help but shed a tear
When I think back to the nightmare
That was this time last year

There have been many phases
Of this past year of grief
Anger and great sadness,
Shock and disbelief

There’s much I need to tell you
I wonder when you’re going to call
And then I am reminded
Of the injustice of it all

On nights that I am lucky
I see you in my dream
When I wake up and face reality,
I just want to scream!

It has been hard to carry on
And not give in to gloom
So strangely quiet it’s become
Without your voice to fill the room

I miss so many little things,
Like how you’d speak a phrase
And even though a year has passed
I am still in a daze.

So many times when I’ve been sad
Feeling many shades of blue,
I thought I might be selfish
Because I know you miss me too

There are times when I imagine
That this was all a hoax
That you’ll be sitting next to me
And we’ll be making jokes.

I often reminisce about
The times we spent together
What a very long time it is,
This thing they call forever.

I know you said “Don’t ever change,”
But it has not been easy
How I miss the days before,
When I felt more light and breezy

We’re past the point of no return
Or finding who to blame
All I know is without you
Life is not the same.

No matter how much time goes by,
My heart will never fully mend
Because something’s always missing
Without you here my friend

But though this tragic loss
Has been so much to bear
I would not trade one moment
Of the good times that we shared

I recall us watching movies
Or cheering when our team would score
Just like all your many fans
You left me wanting more.

So today I’ll also think about
The laughter and the fun
I’m pretty sure that on this day
I won’t be the only one.

A friend like you is priceless
I’m so grateful you were mine
No matter what, one thing’s for sure
Your star will always shine.

In loving memory of my dear friend David, who passed away one year ago today.