I missed my meatballs?!

So, I travel for work. I try not to do fast food all the time, but sometimes you have to. I was determined that this trip wouldn't be one of those times.

The first night of the trip, I went to a Wing Street/Pizza Hut. Wings sounded good and not too terribly "fast foody." I went to place my order and I was told that they were out of wings. Huh? Surely she jests...I mean, it's in their name after all? Nope, it was not a joke. There were no hidden cameras punking me. They were out and I was way more sad than I should have been about it. An indication of the degree of my exhaustion and hunger.

I ended up with something substandardly edible. While I waited, an interesting fella decided to inhabit the vestibule with me. His name was Ben. Anyone that knows me, knows that I tend to attract all sorts of interesting interactions. (I think it's because of my eye contact?). Ben was one of those interactions. I feel that I am better for having had this interaction, yet I was a little relieved when it was over as well.

Ben was a self declared "gentleman" and I have to concur he was indeed chivalrous. During our 10 minute encounter, he opened the door for at least 3 groups of Mom's and kids. You could tell they were hesitant to linger near Ben and his disheveled self. The odor was a bit distracting, but he was just so darn endearing. I tried to over look the odor. Sadly, Ben knew he was a little different and I was proud of him for calling it out. He said that people were scared of him sometimes because he was different. People told him that he shouldn't open doors because he made people feel uncomfortable. I found him quite the opposite. He was kind of a soothing presence. In true fashion, I ended up with a lot of history. The next day would mark the 5th anniversary of the death of his fiance; she was killed. His blatant admission of the death was a little unsettling, but further explanation detailed the car accident in which a semi ran a light and she was killed on impact. The story was a little less frightening that I was imagining based on other things he mentioned in our brief encounter. I liked Ben. And now that I think of it. That interaction justified any downside there was to the lack if wings at the wing place. Silver lining found.

The next night, I decided I wanted IKEA meatballs. I knew that I would be passing the IKEA on my way to the next hotel. I reached the IKEA at 7:00 pm and headed in for meatbally goodness. The smell permeated the store. "YUM" was all I could think. I started imagining myself eating the new potatoes and even the red berries whose name escapes me. I was moments from happiness. Mere moments.

I have been to this IKEA before, as I mentioned, I travel for work. I knew where the meatballs were. They were calling to me. I walk up to the counter - there. they. were.

Why isn't anyone looking at me? Can't they see my desperation? "Excuse me," I said politely but with desperation "are you still open?" Of course they were - the meatballs were still there...

Without looking up and with absolutely no indication that the person ever heard the term "customer service," much less practiced it, "NO." And that was that. They closed at 7 and it was now 7:03. The PIT IKEA sucks.