Recently, I popped into a diner to treat myself to breakfast.  I had errands to run, so I figured I’d load up with a hearty meal beforehand.  I was in a great mood and chatted with the elderly man with smudgy glasses who escorted me to a reasonably clean table.  Before I could put down my purse, the server, whose name tag said “Lisa,” was handing me a menu.  Then she disappeared for a good 15 minutes.  I had already decided what I wanted to order 3 minutes in, so I played solitaire on my phone until she returned.  She was 30-ish.  Her dark hair was short.  Her brown eyes looked at her notepad.

Lisa:     What would you like?
Me:      I’ll have the 2-egg breakfast with bacon, please.
Lisa:     Would you like bacon or sausage?
Me:      Bacon, crispy.  With sourdough toast, please.
Lisa:     White, wheat or sourdough toast?
Me:      I smile.  Are you writing any of this down?
Lisa:     Looks up from her notepad, expressionless.
Me:      Okay.  I’ll have sourdough and black coffee.
Lisa:     Cream or sugar?
Me:       I stared into Lisa’s eyes for a full 5 seconds.  Black.  And that’ll do it, thank you. 
Lisa:     Will that be all?
Me:      Oh my God, Yes. 
Lisa:     No problem.  And then she turned to take cream and sugar from a nearby table to sit in front of me.  For my black coffee.

She checked on me once and refilled my coffee when I flagged her down.  I finished my breakfast and ran my errands as planned.  But I couldn’t stop thinking about the ridiculous exchange with Lisa.  Was she distracted by some awful tragedy in her life?  Did she get into a fender-bender on the way to work?  Maybe she had kids and had to leave them home with an alcoholic grandmother?  Or did she just hate her job and everyone she waited on? 

I had left her a tip, 18%.  I handed it to her rather than leaving it on the table.  I guess I hoped she’d swell with gratitude at my generosity and think to herself, “Wow, what a nice woman, despite my terrible service.  I should have paid more attention.  I’ll do better with the next customer.”  But as I left, she was leaning on the host station chatting it up with the elderly man with the dirty glasses, a complete lack of interest in her eyes as a customer walked in.