Send it back

Why do we feel guilty when we send our food back in a restaurant? We're paying for it. We've toiled away in dimly lit cubicles to earn the $10-$20 that an entree at the average American restaurant costs. We've ordered to our liking, carefully choosing among other options. And yet when our dinner comes, and its cold, or stale, or overcooked, or bloody, we wrestle our consciences to the floor, using our best behind the back arm twist move, trying to figure out if we should send it back.

I ordered something. Maturity & Intelligence with a side of sauteed kisses on the forehead and and garnished with belly laughter and companionship. So, when it came, and it was Selfish & Noncommital Soup topped with calling at 3 am and garnished with a penchant for not asking about my "day" for weeks, why did I feel so guilty sending it back?

I pushed it around the plate with my fork. Took bites from the other sides thinking that they'd taste different. Noshed discerningly, thinking, maybe I can stomach this? After all, didn't people eat their meat overcooked for thousands of years because they thought it would cause diseases? More importantly, I don't want to disrupt my meal! The atmosphere is so nice, and my companions for dinner are making great conversation (love their stories!) and if I sent my food back it might ruin the whole tenor of the night.

And so that's why I bargained myself into a crappy meal that left a bad taste in my mouth. I've learned my lesson. In life, we can't feel guilty for asking for, even demanding, what we want and deserve out of life. Send it back if its not what you ordered, and don't spend one minute feeling guilty about it. Expect the best from people, and meals, but be willing to bow out if its not what you wanted in the first place.