Work can be "ruff"

I've heard that dogs can help people through all kinds of things. They are used to cheer up terminally ill patients. They are used to find things. They are used to aid the handicapped. They are even used to ring up sales...

Wait. What?

That's right. A chocolate lab named Cody "works" the drive-through window at a Clearwater Florida gas station. His owner originally brought him to his store to keep him company during the early morning hours. The dog was such a hit with customers that he's been "working" the drive-through window for 5 months now. He even wears one of the gas station logo t-shirts and a name tag. When a customer pulls up to the window, Cody pops up on his hind legs to greet them. Now that's something I would like to see! I hope Cody gets to continue his "job" for many years.

Maybe it's the food they eat...

I was surprised this morning when I came across a story about a second Florida student being disciplined for having gas. I'd even say I was a little shocked. Ok, it's completely unbelievable to me! It's a bodily function people! Get a grip!!

Just in case you missed it, I'll remind you of the first student.

Back on November 4, 2008, a 13 year old Spectrum Junior-Senior High School student was ARRESTED for passing gas in school. Arrested. Isn't that crazy?

Authorities said he was passing gas and that he also turned off his classmates' computers. A report from the Martin County Sheriff's Office said the boy "continually disrupted his classroom environment" by intentionally breaking wind. He was charged with disruption of school function and released to his mother. I guess I can see a boy thinking that was funny but to arrest him? No way.

Then this morning I saw the newest flatulence offender...

A 15 year old eighth grader from Lakeland Florida.

The bus driver said the boy was passing gas on the bus Monday to make the other children laugh. He also said that the boy created "a stench so bad that it was difficult to breathe." That's some bad gas now. And I can judge gas since I live with several gas passers (My husband and my cats are all offenders...). It's got to be some mighty powerful stuff to make it difficult to breathe.

The boy was suspended from riding the school bus for three days even though he said he wasn't the one passing gas. The bus driver didn't even give the boy the suspension notice until the next day. I don't get that part. Why not address the matter immediately? Why wait until the next day?

I have a couple major problems with this second incident all jokes aside. First, why not open the windows? Do school bus windows not open anymore? I can remember it being over 100 degrees outside and we'd have every window on the bus open. And the driver has a small window by them too. Why couldn't he open that and give himself some fresh air? I just think that's a pretty petty thing to complain about. Have you ever been in the store and walked down an aisle that someone just passed gas on? Maybe we should confront them and tell them they can't come in the store for three days because they passed gas.

The second thing is the fact that because he had gas (IF he is the guilty one), he now has to find alternate means to get to school. I personally rode the school bus every day of my high school career. I rode it on the first day of school and I rode it on the LAST day of school. My parents worked. We weren't allowed to drive. We definitely weren't allowed to ride in anyone else's car (even though we snuck a few times). The bus was our only choice. If I had been kicked off the bus for any amount of time I would have caused a huge issue. (Not to mention I would have gotten my butt whipped pretty darn good.)

So needless to say, I think it's ridiculous that these students got in trouble for gas. There are so many bad things happening in the world and we're going to arrest a teenager for farting. That makes sense.

Call the police! Ronald McDonald is messin' up!

“911 What is your emergency?”

“There are no Chicken McNuggets!!!”

As crazy as that sounds, it actually happened. 27 year old Latreasa Goodman of Fort Pierce Florida called 911 three times because the McDonald’s she visited was out of Chicken McNuggets.

Apparently last week she ordered and paid for a 10 piece McNugget but was told they were out. The cashier told her all sales were final. What? That’s ridiculous. Having worked in restaurants for 25 years I can tell you that NO sale is ever final in the food industry. Yes, restaurants run out of product. It happens to the best of us. I can recall times that I ran out of beef while working at Arby’s. (Arby’s is a roast beef restaurant in case you haven’t left your home in a while.) Running out of beef is NOT a good thing there but it happened and I had the “pleasure” of informing the customers that America’s roast beef restaurant didn’t have any beef. I did not however tell them too bad you ordered it, all sales are final.

The cashier refused to give Goodman a refund and instead offered her a larger portion of food at the same price of the nuggets. That’s when Goodman became irate and called 911. A McDonald’s spokesman says she should have been given a refund. I couldn’t agree more. Restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, have permission to refund your money regardless of what they may tell you. A lot of independently owned restaurants choose to act like they can’t give you a refund because it will interfere with them making GP (Gross Profit) for that month. Having been an assistant manager for many years I was privy to that information and I paid attention.

Goodman has been charged with misuse of 911. I agree that should have happened too. 911 is there for EMERGENCIES not missing chicken nuggets. The police have enough to deal with with real crimes and real emergencies and should not have to stop that work to deal with irate McDonald’s customers over missing chicken.

The McDonald’s spokesman did say she would receive a gift card for a free meal. I guess that’s good. Honestly I think she should just get her chicken nuggets. I don’t believe in getting more than what I paid for and I wouldn’t want someone giving me something just to shut me up. Of course I would never call 911 over a messed up McDonald’s order either.