Fast Food Friendly

The best way to end the day is with a good laugh, and tonight I found mine at the local Taco Bell. Drive-thru food is a treat for me, and I am always in high spirits to eat after a long day of work and school.

My Taco Bell cashier today asked me if I wanted sauce. I replied with a definitive "hot sauce, please." He continued to ask if I was sure that was what I wanted. So, I jokingly threatened with a "if I find a mild packet in my order, there'll be some words." He gave in and said that he'd better not pull anything or I'd call the customer complaint hotline on him. I had to smile when I got home to find a mix of mild and hot sauce in my bag.

Tonight I realized that my drive-thru orders typically involve some bantering and joking with the cashier. Either I don't know what to order or I know exactly what I want, which is all solid premise for a little conversation fun. It is reassuring that people working in fast food still have the playful attitude after a day of dealing with demanding and hungry customers.

This situation should not be confused with flirting either. It is being friendly. Let's accept friendly conversation and human interaction as an exhibit of a healthy communication foundation. Judging others who have conversations with their grocers or while standing in line is easy to do, but a one minute conversation could brighten someone's day or even make them smile and laugh.

To paraphrase an insightful professor: Sharing true laughter with people is experiencing a moment with one another. It is a moment when no one is thinking about the past or the future, but only enjoying that very second.