Efforts are always rewarded, sometimes.

Things have been picking up at work, which is nice, for the most part.  It is nice to know that the company is going to continue to write paychecks, a guy can really get used to those.  And, people are much more "manageable" when they have something to do.  There are all kinds of benefits.  Sometimes things get a little hectic, though, and I am not always the best person to be around in stressful situations.  But, so far we are all still on speaking terms, almost, for the most part.  At least everybody is still talking to me, most of the time, and it is generally pretty amiable, and that is how a manager should be judged, we can all agree on that, right.

Anyway, I thought with all of the additional work and the stress involved it seemed a little reward was in order.  Donuts, for everyone!

I stopped at the donut shop, I am not going to mention the name, no endorsements, or lawsuits, here, but we will call it Him Torton's for convenience sake.  We (my family, and I) like to shop at Him Torton's because they have very good donuts, and we support the local economy.  Not that Him Torton's is local, but they seem to be tied very closely with our local NHL team, the Columbus Blue Jackets (Motto; "Hey, that is one nice blazer!"  "Thanks, it is Azure.").  And without them we would have a big, empty building downtown, which is very bad for the economy.  I like to do my part.

Since I go to work pretty early stopping for donuts is a simple task.  There is hardly ever anyone in line ahead of me, and the parking lot is almost empty.  After hurrying across the drive through lane, always dangerous, day, night, whenever, and walking up to the counter an employee greeted me, and boxed up the donuts of my choosing.

Here is a particularly important point.  Always choose your own donuts, never let them grab a prepackaged dozen and pawn that off on you.  You have no idea what is inside and you might be the most hated man at work.

Now, my donuts are packaged, and we have agreed, the Him Torton's employee, and me, that I don't want any coffee, or hot chocolate, and he sets down my donuts, on the counter, by the cash register, and walks off.   About fifteen feet (457 centimeters) away he begins assembling breakfast sandwiches.

I am left, standing there, fiddling nervously with a handful of napkins.  In the background "Lido Shuffle" by Boz Scaggs is playing;

"He'll be makin' like a bee line,
Headin' for the border line,
Goin' for broke, sayin'
One more hit ought to do it,
This joint, ain't nothin' to it,
One more for the road,"

Should I grab the donuts and leave?  But, my wife gave me a gift card to Him Torton's with specific instructions.  "Use this card, and don't lose it, and try to remember how much is left on the card when you are done."  What am I going to say?

"There is still $25.00 left on the gift card, and yes, I did buy donuts, no I didn't pay cash, and no I didn't use a credit card.   I didn't pay for them at all.  They just gave me a dozen donuts." Somehow this will all end up to be my fault.

Fortunately another employee asked if he could help me.  I told him I wanted to pay for my donuts.
 He looked at me, and my box of donuts suspiciously, (he must have thought I was trying to buy someone elses donuts, or maybe I had packaged my own) and we kind of stood there for a few tense minutes, looking at my box of donuts.  Finally he asked how many there were, I said a dozen, and he let me pay, and I was off.

Things like this are always happening to me.  But, the donuts were good, and everybody appreciated them.  So, it was worth it.  Next time, they get bagels, though.