As the summer break commenced for my son, I found myself grappling with the classic dilemma faced by many stay-at-home parents:
- Engage your child around the clock, or
- Enroll them in a series of poorly timed and overpriced activities to secure a moment of peace.
Naturally, I opted for the second choice, leading my son to a soccer camp last summer. To add to my own discomfort, the camp required me to follow a morning routine similar to that of a school day: wake early, drive a substantial distance, and prepare snacks—only to find the camp lasted a mere three hours.
The unfortunate timing meant I was also responsible for my son’s lunch immediately after camp. Typically, I would head home to make something nutritious, but on one particularly chaotic day, we decided to break our routine with a trip to McDonald’s. After all, nothing exudes summer vibes quite like fast food in the comfort of our air-conditioned living room while indulging in some screen time.
However, our McDonald’s adventure took a rather frustrating turn.
Upon entering the drive-thru, I noticed the line was unusually long. I accepted this minor inconvenience, and while waiting, my son and I discussed his soccer camp experiences. When it was finally my turn, I placed a straightforward order:
- A chicken nugget Happy Meal
- Two cheeseburgers
- A small fries
After paying at the designated window, I approached the next stop, where things began to unravel.
I was informed that my order was not yet ready and was asked to pull into the parking lot and wait. Understanding that delays can happen, I complied. However, the drive-thru attendant’s instructions were baffling.
Drive-Thru Attendant: “Please park where that blue car and red car are parked.”
Me (confused): “Uh, I can’t. Those cars are already parked there.”
Drive-Thru Attendant (frustrated): “Please. See that blue car and red car? You park there.”
Me: “But there are NO SPOTS THERE.”
Drive-Thru Attendant: *sighs* “PARK WHERE THAT BLUE CAR AND RED CAR ARE PARKED.”
Me (desperate): “I CAN’T!”
Drive-Thru Attendant: “THEN. WAIT. UNTIL. THEY LEAVE. THEN PARK THERE.”
Feeling utterly confused, I left the line and parked a few cars down, believing it wouldn’t be too difficult for the staff to locate us. We rolled down our windows and waited.
And waited.
As I watched other customers drive away with their bags of food, frustration mounted. My son, bewildered, voiced his concerns about our missing lunch. After about 10 minutes, we decided enough was enough and ventured inside McDonald’s, which was surprisingly empty.
Girl at Counter: “Can I help you?”
Me: “Yes, we’ve been waiting in the parking lot for 10 minutes.”
Girl at Counter: “Oh, I didn’t know there was anyone waiting. Did you park where the drive-thru lady told you to?”
Me: “Well, she directed me to spots that were already occupied, so I parked as close as possible.”
Girl at Counter: “That explains it. Someone went out but couldn’t find you. Here’s your food.”
She handed me a bag of lukewarm nuggets and soggy fries. I stood there in disbelief. How could they not locate us? I was just a few cars away, engine running, with my son asking why lunch took so long.
With a firm decision never to return to that McDonald’s, my son remarked, “We should have never trusted this place.”
This experience prompted me to reconsider my initial summer dilemma. Perhaps opting for simple outings at the local pool or packing our own lunches for the park would be more rewarding than relying on fast food. After all, as my son wisely pointed out, sometimes it’s better to trust your own judgment over a drive-thru.
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In summary, the fast food experience turned out to be a lesson in patience and self-reliance. It’s essential to evaluate our options carefully, especially during the hectic summer months.