jan ten again

"hola!"

I look up to see a shawn austin look-alike standing over our table, poised and ready to take our order.

I chuckle under my breath in a way that says, "I'm so embarrassed for you right now but I don't want you to see it."

and this is the way our meal started at "taberna del tequila".

so we're in phoenix, had a few travel glitches to smooth out, and after our chores were finished, we wandered into this little gem.

I can't stop thinking about this ridiculous greeting, and now I'm hearing little echos of this all over the restaurant by other abashed servers.  I feel sorry for all of them and think to myself that I would never work in a place where they make monkeys of their staff.

I know this is a lie, even as I think it.  everyone has their price...

I look around.  

there's a large painting on the wall that says "zona de tequila", hot peppers, sombreros and other hispanic paraphernalia adorn the walls and tables.  our table cloth, heavily laden with protective plastic, is dripping with words like some kitschy spanish-english dictionary.  the only thing missing is the mini corona bottles that serve as salt and pepper shakers.

I sigh and lean back.  I'm breathless and agog.  

I order a beer... 

"would you like to make it a large for an extra buck?"

"yes".

"would you like to add a tequila shot to that for another dollar?"

"um, no.  no thank you".

our beers arrive, I'm fully focused on this.  the only thing that matters right now is that I have leg room and this large cold beer in front of me.  I can even happily wait for food now that I have this.  It was good enough for the monks and by-golly it's good enough for me.

shawn of course sends his back because he only wanted a regular beer.  

come on.  really?  it's like an extra ounce or two and now you're gonna make him dump it and pour you a new one in a smaller glass?  even our server can't keep the "omfg" tone out of his voice as he asks shawn if he would like him to take it back and bring him a new one.

I swear... I'm gonna have to either start leaving him at home or start drinking a whole lot more when we go out.