Dunkin' Donuts and everything else that's wrong with this country

So the girls went to Tucson this weekend. Before they left, they wanted to make a quick pitstop at Dunkin' Donuts to get some coffee for the road. I decided to tag along before they left. Instead of getting some coffee, I was too tempted by the wall decal, so I opted for Dunkin's so delicious-looking Frozen Hot Chocolate. Note to the wise: Their Frozen Hot Chocolate is NOT the same price as their regular Hot Chocolate. Quite the contrary, it was double the price... just because it was cold, instead of hot. Those crooks. 

This should have been sign #1 that all was not right with the world. But then came sign #2... after the jump. 

As we were sitting at our table in Dunkin' Donuts enjoying out vastly-overrated coffee (and in my case vastly-overpriced hot, but really cold, chocolate) and donuts, I eyed the rows of untouched donuts on the shelves. There were the chocolate glazed, the plain, and the perplexing "munchkins."Every row was still full. Untouched. Then I glanced around the restaurant. 

Empty.

We were the only customers in the restaurant and it was almost 1 p.m. Long past the hour of breakfast. It was obvious — nobody is eating those donuts today.

But maybe we could...

Now, JVC has always encouraged us to ask for handouts. They've encouraged us to hit up Starbucks, Einstein Bros., etc for their end-of-the-day stashes. “Never be afraid of asking for help, because you’ll be surprised who will say yes."

With 48 days left in the program, I thought it was a good time to start.

I got up from my chair and approached the clerk with her headset. She was waiting for somebody, anybody to pull through the drive thru so she could remotely take their order.

“Hey, I have a really random question for you,” I prepped. "What do you do with all the leftovers at the end of the day?”

“We bag them up and throw them away,” she said. It was obvious this wasn't the first time she'd been asked this question.

What a waste.

I told her the JVC sob story about how we’re volunteers, broke, hungry, and live only a couple blocks down the street. "If we came to pick them up at the end of the day, would you give us the leftovers?"

“No,” she said bluntly.

“How come?” I pressed.

“We can’t give them out to anybody. When I first started working here, we gave the food out to homeless shelters.”

Even better, I thought. If we can’t have them, at least it’s going to people in need.

She continued with her story. “But we had to stop doing that because if somebody ate the donuts and got sick, they could sue us.”

Homeless people suing from getting food handouts. God Bless America.

Writer Renewed

The confession of a writer:

I had no desire to write.

Anything.

At all. 

Period.

I didn't want to put pen to paper, I didn't want put words to computer. I didn't even want to input case notes into HMIS as part of my job.

None of it. That bad.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to explain why it happened. It had nothing to do with writer's block. It may have had everything to do with Phoenix and how frustrated I am with being here at this point. It may have had everything to do with my fear of what words would actually come out once I did start writing.

I'm not sure why it happened. All I know is that it happened. And that for the first time in my life, I hated words.

Then two things happened:

1. My brother told me to write.

2. I read an incredible NY Times story that blew my mind.

And then it happened, I wanted to write. It was like a spark went off in my mind and body and I couldn't get the words out fast enough.

I immediately pulled out my computer and typed up something short, which I'm about to post. And I've also got a #19 bus piece in the works that is very "a lá Advanced Comm Bus #22." Although, I'll admit, the #19 Phoenix bus is a hell of a lot freakier than San Jose's #22, which will make it a far better read.

For now, I have two things to say:

1. Troy, thanks. Thanks for reminding me. I guess I listen to you... sometimes.

2. The NY Times story that made my fingers ache for a pen or keyboard -- Hit and Run. 

Please read it. I'm not expecting it to have the same profound impact on you as it had upon me. But I bet you'll still find it a good read. I think it was the lead(/lede depending on my audience) that did it for me. So beautiful... And the skipping rocks comparison. But seriously, I'll stop talking about it so you can read it.

Anyways, I'm back. And I'm ready to write.