Oh Donna

A 1958 Richie Valens tune.

So a couple of years ago I am in line at Dunkin Donuts and the older waitress looks at me and simply asks, “Senior?"

Now I get 10% off. I did not know this. It doesn’t sound like much but 365 x 30 cents =  $100 per year. Should I tip at Dunkin Donuts? Do you tip at McDonald’s or Burger King?  No.

Christmas was coming up. Donna told me her husband or significant other had died. Donna says everything that she thinks. I felt bad and thought that I should give her a good tip. But then she was gone.

My Mom was a waitress. She worked at a truck stop. I think she loved the attention as much as the tips. As a family we did not talk about it much. I think Dad was a little sensitive about all the attention she was getting.

A few weeks ago Donna emerged as the sandwich maker at Subway. She welcomed me and even remembered my name. I am a semi-regular when I am on the road again in the spring.

The last time I was in Subway she mentioned that she had worked at Friendly’s. I did two years on their management slavery program when I first got out of the Navy in 1968.

Today when I went in, I ordered a Fishamajig and a Fribble. Donna laughed and said she wished she was making the money that she was making at Friendly’s, and that she did not have enough money for dinner tonight. She offered me a fork with my sub because she said she had loaded it up for me and I would need it.

I ate lunch there. I had had another good day money-wise. I gave her the fork back wrapped in a $50  bill. I made up for missing her tip from a Christmas or two ago. It made us both feel good.

I will bet that Mom would have approved also.