MINOR INJUSTICES

Will you excuse me for a moment while I comment on an incident that took place in the Panera Bread shop where I am writing this from? This just begs to be said.

I’m waiting in line, and the lady in front of me pays $2.99 for a baguette. This woman, in her sixties, takes a look at the receipt, and objects to, of all things, the sales tax. Evidently the price tag on the baguette was cheaper than the actual price by about sixty cents. Had this woman been more gracious, she would have simply pointed out the discrepancy on the receipt and I’m sure the price would have been discounted. But no, the woman pushes back the baguette and announces with unseemly indignation that she does not want it if she’s going pay three dollars for it.

I watched all of this with considerable disgust and I wanted to tap this woman on the shoulder and tell her this: “Why don’t you just pay for the bread. Then you can take it downtown and give it to one of the many homeless people. They’d appreciate it one hell of a lot more than you apparently do.” It’s tough all over, in case this character hasn’t noticed.

I’m sorry, folks. The soapbox gets very wobbly when I’m on it.