Finding WiFi & Customer Service

The further away from Michigan we get, the more I learn that free WiFi is nearly impossible to come by. So before I begin with today’s update, I thought I’d share a little story. Ready boys and girls? Okay. Once upon a time there was a guy named… well never mind that format, it’s me. This is a story about me. I just came to McDonald’s for free WiFi to update the blog because our hotel wants me to pay for it. Most people would pay for it and do what they needed to do. We all know that I am not most people. Upon entering MD’s I proceed to the counter where I ask if they have free WiFi (I asked because no where here seems to offer FREE WiFi and the poster in the window indicated that I would have to buy an arch card to get WiFi at all). The MD’s Employee (#1) looked back at me wide eyed and filled with, not wonder, but confusion. I asked again. He leans over to his co-worker (employee #2) and whispers something. Employee #2 proceeds to pass on the precious little secret to the manager who immediately walks away and disappears into the back. #1 looks at me as if expecting me to order. I indicate that I’m really only interested in WiFi, so I am going to wait to order until I know if I can pick up a signal here or not. At this moment, which seemed to confuse #1 yet again, the manager reappears on the scene, handing a piece of paper to #2 who hands it to #1 who hands it to me. A WiFi code. Okay, I’ll have a large iced tea, ½ sweet, ½ unsweetened. “$1.06 will be your total.” I hand him 2 $1.00 bills. #1 whispers into #2’s ear again. #2 whispers into the manager’s ear. Manager disappears into the back. Employee #3 shows up on the scene behind me and another customer in line. #1 informs me that he is waiting for quarters unless I want my $0.94 of change in nickels. I indicate that I would in fact prefer 3 quarters, 1 dime, 1 nickel, and 4 pennies rather than 18 nickels and 4 pennies. I can wait. #3 proceeds to step in front of me and begin a vital conversation of no importance with #1 and #2. I stand and wait, keeping my thoughts to myself for the time being. While the manager goes to Bangladesh or somewhere not local at all for quarters, wouldn’t it make sense for #1, #2, or #3 to get my tea and or possibly even simultaneously serve the next customer in line? I thought so too. Instead what progressed was their conversation about nothing, the next customer approaching the counter thinking the same thing I was, only to receive an awkward look from #2 as if to say, “What?”. Manager returns from Bangladesh with quarters and speedily disappears again. I am handed my 3 quarters, 1 dime, 1 nickel, and 4 pennies. Then… nothing. #1, #2, #3 continue their little convo. When I don’t satisfiedly (no that isn’t a word) walk away, #1 realizes that no one has gotten my tea in the 7.832 minutes that have passed by and instructs #2 of this discovery. #2 grabs a cup, fills ‘er up and gives me my large sweet tea. Wait, I’m not from the south and can’t stand sweet tea, thus my asking for ½ sweetened, ½ unsweetened. Never mind. I just want WiFi. As I walk away to find my WiFi I hear “May I help the next person in line?” after which I hear #3 ordering a meal. He slid right in front of the customer who had been behind me in line long before #3 even showed up on the scene. So my question in all of this is this; What instills character in us? Work ethic? Compassion? Servitude? Gratitude? Joy? Passion? Perseverance? Honesty? Integrity? A desire for Righteousness and Justice? Etc. etc. etc. I don’t intend to go into my response to this question, I just thought I’d share the question and how it came to mind. Now to the happenings of today prior to me trying to find free WiFi.