SNR

Do the letters SNR mean anything to you? They didn't to me until Saturday night!

We were on our way to visit the good folks at Ambassador Baptist Church in Royal Oak, Michigan. It is one of our supporting churches. Dawn and I had arrived a bit early and so had decided to stop and get a coffee at a nearby McDonald's.

We were in Royal Oak for Ambassador's mission conference so we were dressed up in our Sunday duds. In fact I had commented as I left the car, "Ma and Pa Kettle go out for a date!"

We entered the restaurant and I asked for a small coffee. Dawn did the same and the young lady at the counter rang up our orders and we sat down to enjoy the few minutes before the evening service.

It was then that I noticed our receipt. There were two listings which read: 1SNR coffee.......$.60

Stunned I ask Dawn if she knew what SNR meant? She didn't. I said, "I think that it means 'Senior'". I then asked her how much a "normal" small coffee cost. She said, "I'm not sure but let me ge a bit closer to the menu because my byefocals can't focus from here."

She came back with dismal news. "$1.20". We sat there in shock! Without asking, the young lady at the counter had just given us our first ever Senior discount! Dawn mumbled "... do you think that... that is what really happened?" My crisp reply was, "YES SHE JUST GAVE US A SENIOR DISCOUNT WITHOUT EVEN ASKING IF WE WERE SENIORS!!"

"You need to go and pay her the right amount Mike!" I was not in the mood pay off someone who had just humiliated me and burst my ego. "I'm thinking of sueing her for defamation of character! Not paying her for an undercharge!"

A moment like this is what an out of body experience must feel like. Questions race through your reeling mind: What made that girl think that I was a senior? Was it the lighting? Was it my broken glasses, my knarled hands, my wheezened and pallid face? Or maybe the ring in her nose was too tight! Perhaps she just has lasik surgery and it had gone horribly awry. Or maybe she was from a broken home and was trying to get attention!

It was a defining instant that put new perspective on the phrase, "Life is short!".

We are better this morning. The sting is gone. Life goes on. But, we now have a different perspective toward those around us who REALLy are seniors.

I should have ordered a whole meal!

Mike