Ethan always requests a shopping trip when we get together. I had explicit instructions from his mother that he wasn't allowed to have any Transformers. I was okay with that as I'd seen a really cool light saber I wanted to buy him. As before, Ethan pointed and gestured at each intersection so I'd know how to get to Target. We arrived at his favorite store 12 minutes later. I found the light saber!
On the way home, I asked him if he'd like to stop and get food. He signed and said the word "eat." I suggested Chick-filet or Wendy's, knowing they both carried gluten free food. But as we passed the McDonalds Restaurant, he let me know without a doubt, that this is where he wanted to eat. I suggested the drive-thru, but he answered with a resolute "NO."
I wasn't sure I could order food that was totally gluten free, but thought I'd try anyway. While waiting in line, Ethan was searching. For what, I wasn't sure. It had been a long while since I'd eaten at McDonald's. I remembered they used to have a case where the latest Happy Meal Toys were on display. I didn't see it. "Ethan, are you looking for the toys?" I was pretty sure he agreed that he was indeed looking for the toys. I hoped I could buy the toy, minus the meal.
I ordered the two of us grilled chicken sandwiches with no buns. The girl taking our order, seemed to get it and clicked away at the register. I asked if they still carried Happy Meal Toys and queried whether or not I could buy the toy separate. When I was told no, I ordered a Hamburger Happy Meal, but explained that I did not want a hamburger-just the fries, toy, and drink.
"So you just want the bun?"
Was she serious? No, I do NOT want a bun of any sort.
"So you don't want the chicken sandwiches?"
Grrr....Yes, I still want the chicken sandwiches without buns, and also another order of fries and another drink. She clicked away, then after I paid, she handed me a cup.
"I ordered two drinks."
"No, you didn't." I looked at my receipt. She had not included the Happy Meal, minus the hamburger. Ugh!
"I wanted the Hamburger Happy Meal, but not the hamburger. Actually, I just wanted the toy, but since I can't buy it separate, I wanted the meal, with the fries, and the drink."
She rang me up again, and I paid the full price for a little toy green guy. In the meantime, Ethan had taken the other cup and was attempting to fill it at the fountain. I ran over to assist him, then filled my own miniature happy meal cup with diet coke. We went back to the counter to wait for our food.
A young man, handed me a tray with a Happy meal bag with a cheerful, "here ya go!" I showed him my second receipt with our real food.
"Oh, we're still waiting on the grilled chicken." He remarked. We waited longer. Ethan was about to make a beeline for the play room, when our food was placed on a separate tray. I grabbed the Happy Meal bag, tossed it onto the new tray and tried to catch up to Ethan. I tried to slow him down, "Ethan, don't you want Ketchup?" Before I could stop him, he was up inside the colorful tubes. "Ethan, no! We are going to eat first, then play. Eat first, THEN play." I repeated.
Thankfully, he came down. I sanitized his hands and we sat down to eat. I opened our food, and there were two grilled pieces of chicken, sitting neatly inside glutenous, wheat buns. Frustrated, I told Ethan he needed to walk back to the counter with me, since our order was wrong. Why would they make the play area so far from the food counter? It was literally 2 rooms away and there was no way I could keep an eye on Ethan, let alone see him, if I walked back to the counter. He did not want to go, but I dragged him back, coaxing him that we'd get some Ketchup.
It took a few minutes at the counter, before the young man returned with two pieces of chicken in plastic containers, with no buns. If I had to guess, they probably just removed the bun and tossed the same chicken into a new box. If this had been for Elisabeth, I would have made a fuss, but I just wanted to get Ethan something to eat quick. For the two of us, it was gluten free enough.
Ethan already had a little paper cup in one hand, and was pushing the ketchup pump with the other, but nothing was coming out. While balancing the tray in one hand, I said, "here Ethan, let me help." I had him put the paper cup under the pump and gave it a good squeeze. The red goo missed the cup entirely, but squirted down his arm. Do you think I could find a napkin dispenser within reach or even in sight? Ethan licked his arm, before giving it a good swipe down the front of his white t-shirt.
We made our way back to the table. After I cut up his chicken, Ethan began eating. I watched him, watching the other children play. He didn't smile. He just seemed curious. At one point I noticed his hand gesture slightly. I looked up into the brightly, colored tubing. A young child was laughing and waving to his mama. I think Ethan thought he was waving to him. In that instant, I saw the real reason Ethan wanted to come to McDonald's. It was not for a Happy Meal toy. He wanted a friend. He was hoping to find a playmate, a friend to share the challenge of crawling through the plastic tubing and sliding down the slide. Hot tears filled my eyes. Everything within me wished he had a brother or sister, so he could have a built-in playmate. Another child to play with, who understood him, and who didn't run the other way when he tried to join them on the playground. I was NOT enjoying this trip to McDonalds. This was NOT a Happy Meal.
By the time Ethan finished eating, the other families had left. After removing his shoes, he climbed up inside the maze. I quickly cleared our table, placing the rest of his fries and toy in his not-so-happy-meal bag. I took it with our drinks, and set them on the table closest to the play structure so they'd be easy to grab when we were ready to go. Two times down the slide and Ethan looked tired. He headed for the table for his drink. "Ethan, here you go, I moved our drinks over here." Except when I turned to get them, they were gone. Since when did McD's become so efficient at clearing and wiping tables???
I went around the corner and caught the woman cleaning up. "Did you just clear that table?" I asked, louder than I meant to. Before giving her a chance to answer I let her know that my grandson's toy was in the bag she'd thrown away-the toy that cost me the price of a Happy Meal, along with his fries and our drinks. Amazingly, the toy I couldn't purchase by itself was magically replaced for "free." Not sure why they couldn't have given it to me in the first place, since the meal I purchased for Ethan cost much more than a silly Happy Meal. And it would have been a much happier meal.
1 comment:
SoooooOOO!! Frustrating!!
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