buckling

I'm not saying I get pushed around easily, but those who know me best call me "shopping cart." (Both for that and my ability to hold massive quantities of produce.) The social awkwardness that accompanies any recent Tom Cruise interaction makes me cringe - even second-hand. So when confronted with those who confront me, I tend to waffle like a Belgium and give into whatever their demand. I should also not, this tendency to captilulate is inversely proportional to my familiarity with the confronter. I'm now realizing it took me a whole paragraph to admit that I'm a sissy.

At any rate, yesterday at lunch I was eligible for a free sub from Charley's Grilled Sub Restaurant/Stand. Hell, I'd earned it. Seven card punches = 1 free sub. I went up to the counter and ordered, all the while trying to hand over my punch-riddled card. Angry Annie somehow ignored my extended, card-bearing hand and rang me up. She then said, "$6.79 please." I kind of gave her a sheepish look and puppy-dog whined at my card. She spotted my card and said, "Oh, when were you going to tell me you had a full card?". I gasped. How could I be such a jerk! It would take like 3 key presses to fix my order! As the flood of embarrassment swept over me, I was unable to comprehend that AA had executed a brilliant psychological maneuver. She had placed me (unjustly I might add) on the defensive. She might as well have asked me when I stopped beating theMonica. "Uh, it's ok, I can use it some other time." "You can use it some other time?" She said, probably feeling guilty. "Yah. It's not a problem.

In the end, it all worked out. I'm now the proud owner of two Charley's cards.