Reading medals and there IS such a thing as a free lunch!

Today Ava accomplished something really great! In her kindergarten class, they have 63 little books they read at home then test on at school. They have to get every single word right without help in order to pass off the book, and towards the end they were pretty hard, with words like enormous, laughed, gnaw, begged, tried, about. When they pass off the last book, they get a medal and a cheer from the class. Ava had been very excited about getting her medal. Well, today she got it! She read and passed off book 63 and came home grinning from ear to ear with her medal around her neck.

I decided that this momentous occasion called for lunch at her favorite spot: McDonalds. I told her I would take her to lunch there to celebrate, and only after she was all excited did I consider whether I had the money to do it. (Jason gets paid on Monday, so we are very low on funds right now, especially after Christmas!) At that point, I realized I had some money, about $15, on a gift mastercard.

So off to McDonalds I went, two very happy littlies in tow.

We get there, and Corrine and Ava are dancing with excitement over the toys. I order, and the total comes to $11.37. Great, I think, I have plenty! Well, I run my card, and it is declined. Hmm. I run it again and again, and the cashier tries putting paper around it and running it. This whole time I am saying "I KNOW there is money on that card. I have no idea why it won't work!" I try my debit card, but that is declined as well(not really a surprise to me). I ask if they take checks, and the answer is no. I am about to say I am sorry for the trouble, but I have no other form of payment, thanks and goodbye (and am thoroughly embarrassed by this point). I am also thinking of the dissapointment that Ava will have, and am sure she is going to be screaming when we leave, when the cashier says, "No problem, its on me today."

I didn't know what to say.

I was embarrassed, humiliated, didn't want the hand out, but he was very nice and said, no, look, its all ready. No problem.

Steven was his name, and I want to get a thank you note to him soon.

I took the tray, still not knowing how I felt about it, and went and sat down. I know it wasn't a big deal, I know the money didn't come out of his pocket, ( I worked at Burger King for too long; I know exactly what he did) but I still felt like a mooch. I am thankful, though, and touched by his kindness.

So, anyway, there IS such a thing as a free lunch, 'cause I got mine today!