| 2/5/06 - Hey, it's me, Alex Jefferson. Every time I need
my computer, my cousin Cal is using it. I have legions
of Odyssey Blog fans logging on every two seconds to
read my next entry, and I can't let them down. But Cal
doesn't seem to understand that. This morning he was
on the computer, writing a history paper of all things!
I politely asked if he could get off my computer - OK, I didn't ask, I told him — but he said no. So I did what any cousin would do: I sat on him. I had only typed, “Hey, it's me, Alex Jefferson,” when he pushed me off and ran to tell my mom. After receiving a reprimand from Mom, I stormed down to Whit's End to drown my sorrow in ice cream. I was surprised to find Bart Rathbone behind the counter. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “I'm happily serving you,” he sneered sarcastically, “the precious, perfect customer.” I plunked down my money and asked for my usual — a chocolate shake. Thirty minutes later, Mr. Rathbone returned with a runny strawberry shake. The melted pink goo dribbled down the sides of the glass onto my money. I explained that I hadn't ordered a strawberry shake. “We're outta chocolate,” Mr. Rathbone said, stepping in front of a full gallon of chocolate syrup. I didn't have to pay for the shake, thankfully, and on my way out, I ran into Eugene who informed me that Mr. Rathbone is taking customer-service lessons from him and Whit. Good for Mr. Rathbone! I thought. Too bad all I ended up with was a sticky $5. Then I started thinking about how I'd treated Cal this morning. I had been rude. I could hear my dad's words in my head: “Remember the Golden Rule: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' “ I ran back to Whit's End and ordered a Double Chocolate Boomerang to go (from Connie, thankfully). When I got home, I found Cal still working on his paper. I apologized and handed him the Boomerang. I guess I'd want him to do the same for me if he ever treated me badly. —A.J. out! |
