this is a small line, undoubtedly taken during summer time. photo courtesy: www.kings.edu

For those visitors who stop by the site and don't go to King's College, then how in God's name did you get here? Well, welcome anyway. And, you may not know that the on-campus hotspot for dining is Connerton's Cafe. It's not a bad place to eat if you have an hour or two during the weekday, but if you're in a rush, you should hit up the Susquehanna Room all the way. If you want your traditional buffet style, the Market Place is always open, but I never eat that much anyway. More often I opt for Connerton's.

On one particular day I went to grab a cheap lunch (a hot dog, or grilled cheese, nothing too expensive) and decided it would be nice to pick up some grapes for Karen because she sits in classes forever. Unbeknownst to me, I would be spending a comparable amount of time in line. I could have left and gone for the ease of a different dining place, but then I would have been without grapes--the clincher in the whole equation here. 

I stood patiently, because that's what I do-- as those close to me know all too well, patience only escapes me in the car or while playing Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island-- I moved closer and closer to the register, but still had about twenty people between me and my destination. Suddenly, there was twenty-ONE people in my way. One person decided that they should get food before me. I didn't worry very much, because there were plenty of grapes, but since I had never seen this person before, my mind started to wander...

"Who does this kid think he is?! There's a marked lack of respect for everyone in line when you actively move ahead of them. If this was a stockbroker and I was a poor, homeless, crackhead then maybe I could understand some confusion, but even then, humans are humans. There was no need for this kid--this bastard-- to cut in front of me. How old do we have to get before we can handle the waiting process? Surely twenty years of age is more than enough to realize that waiting is a part of life and that all good things come to those who wait? Man, I oughta' but out this piece* and buy me a burger--" then my thoughts went back to Karen, and the grapes looked more important-- "Maybe this guy's in a hurry, I mean I have an hour to wait, maybe he has class in a few minutes."

Time went on and my frustration cooled down. It was okay, I put the hate behind me. But then it all came to a head... King's students can tell you that Connerton's, though providing daily specials, serves the same (questionably) reliable dishes every day. For this reason you can always know what to expect. If you have a favorite, let's say Chicken Parm, then you have that in your head. When you move up in the line, you check the special, then if it's no good, you say, "Chicken Parm please!" Now aside from the fact that manners have no place in a college, there is another problem with that quote; the ass in front of me didn't know what he wanted.

Anyone who orders with me knows that this is a common occurrence with me too, but if people are behind me, I put the pedal to the metal and order something, even if I don't like what I order. This guy already had enough  blatant disregard for human beings to cut in line, and it was no sweat to speak the following lines, "Uhh........ Hmm.......... I guess................................................. Uh, how about........... Maybe a blah-bidy-blah...... and a uh............................................ blah.......... no, no, a blah........................................ and.......... hmmm............ a blah? No, a blah, yeah.............. uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......... that's it............ wait, can I get a cup of ice?" Ladies and gentlemen, my fury escaped a car or video game, it found its way to Connerton's Cafe. I saved my anger though, I didn't shout. Seriously folks.... a cup of ice? He was lucky. But the principle of the matter here people. Why would a twenty year old cut in a line of about forty peers and professors? It's just down right rude. I don't know who that guy was, but I do know that if his car breaks down, he spills food on his shirt, or he gets diarrhea, then he will get no sympathy from me. It's bad karma, man, what goes around comes around man. Next time I just hope you realize when it's time to say, "I gotta get outta this piece* or wait like everybody else."

*The usage of the word "piece" is dedicated to America's Favorite Susquehanna University's favorite sorority.