by Nancy Linenkugel
Contributor
“Three? You have three for me this week?”
“Yes – all for you,” a smiling Angie replies as she hands me the boxes.
I’m working on a project and need a number of boxes. Beer cartons are perfect, and Angie works in the “Spirits Nook” at the grocery store where I shop. A key person is stockman John who’s in charge of the beer aisle. He saves the boxes for me, and Angie keeps them behind the counter.
“Swell, Angie, and thanks a million. You get A+++, the Kewpie Doll, and any other premium you would like.”
A beaming Angie exclaims, “Really? Any premium? Well, that’s easy – I just need a million dollars to start the restaurant of my dreams.” I encourage her to tell me more, “You must love to cook, so what’s your specialty?”
“I make scrumptious fried chicken. It’s killer. My husband would love to have it every day, but since I work here full-time, that cuts into my cooking time. So see – your premium of a million dollars means I could cook to my heart’s content,” Angie shares.
“It sounds like that would really make you happy,” I respond. “What kind of a business would you start?”
“Let’s see. There are so many unemployed folks around that my restaurant would offer great food at reasonable prices. I’d want folks to consider it a treat to come. I’d have friendly servers who treated everyone like friends. And fried chicken you can’t get anywhere else.”
Another customer at the counter heard the end of this exchange and said, “Here’s a dollar; I can’t wait until you open!”
A dream coming true and beer boxes, too. It’s another great day.
[Sr. Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio.]