I wanted to title this, "Who Killed Kenny" but only the younger ones would know that source. Think the animated TV show, "South Park" which I don't watch but have heard referenced.
My Low Brow Story (Garth Brooks song, "I Got Friends in Low Places, come on down to the Oasis" playing softly in the background.)
Our favorite greasy spoon The Oasis recently changed ownership. The new owner circulates in the restaurant talking to customers and refilling coffee cups. The diner has a bevy of locals who frequent it. Not many tourists show up. They serve a hot roast beef or turkey sandwich smoothered in gravy with a scoop of mashed potatoes. Truck stop food without the truck drivers. Single guys line up at the counter and tease the waitresses, most of whom have worked there for decades. We go for the great coffee and hot breakfast. This is not California cuisine.
We were the first and only customers when it opened at 5:30am today. I asked the waitress how she liked working for new management and got an earfull. Change is hard. The employees are adjusting, except for the three who resigned, and the regulars are casting a wary eye hoping the place doesn't change too much.
Strike one: He changed the coffee. Yuk. Got to understand how important the coffee is.
Strike two: He got rid of the familiar heavy duty restaurant plates. The new look is mismatched china and mugs. The waitress showed us burn marks on her arms. She usually carries several plates of food from the kitchen to the tables. The new plates get too hot under the warmer and there is no room for tray stands.
Strike three: The owner won't allow the dirty dish bins under the counter. Waitresses must carry them (without trays) back to the dishwasher. The old system had the dishwasher fetch the bins of dirty dishes from under the counter. They have a long-time dishwasher named Kenny. New manager doesn't think Kenny should be out with the public. Public thinks Kenny is part of the ambiance and charm of the place. I suggested the customers wear t-shirts with the slogan, "Who Killed Kenny?". Support your local dishwasher. Something is missing without him.
Might be able to find those shirts at Walmart. That was the talk of the diner as folks came in today. It is universal to have trouble adjusting to change. Don't fix it if it ain't broke!!!
New guy watch out. Don't underestimate how strongly your customers feel about tradition.
My High Brow Story
Apparently all of us have been conditioned by eBay to accepting gently used stuff into our homes. Resale and consignment stores are flourishing even among the well-heeled. I heard the following story yesterday and was amused.
In Wellesley, MA it is chic to "shop" at the Wellesley dump. Even the more sophisticated matrons are doing it. Wellesley is a tony, affluent old New England town. Exclusive Wellesley college is located there. When I visited my friend Barb in Massachusetts this spring she took me to Wellesley. Old money. Apparently their discards are a cut above most towns. They have rules at the town dump enforced by a security guard. You may only shop at the dump if you are a Wellesley resident and can prove it. It is an exclusive dump. Do you think they do this in Beverly Hills? High brow dumpster diving?
They can borrow my Garth Brooks theme, "I've got friends in low places" if they chose.
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