Confessions: Ornery at All Times and in All Things

So I pulled up to the drive-thru at McDonald's. There was a car at the speaker, the caboose of a line leading past the payment and receiving windows. I pulled in behind this last car. Excellent, I thought. I won't have to wait long.

But then I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Finally, the car moved forward. I drove up to the speaker and placed my own order. The guy on the other end was super nice and helpful.

But then the line ahead remained stagnant.

So I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I'd been sitting in the line for over ten minutes, and I still hadn't even moved past the first step.

"Man," I said out loud. "What is happening?"

I hadn't expected a response. It was a rhetorical question designed to allow me to vent my frustration in a calm, controlled manner.

"I'm sorry," a voice said. "We just got a big order."

I jumped so hard, I smacked my head on the ceiling of my car.

Turns out, McDonald's' speakers are always on, thus allowing the order-taking employees to hear all my outbursts of thought.

I felt terrible immediately. I knew I must have sounded like an impatient, selfish jerk. I apologized profusely over the speaker, and then did so again once I met the guy in person at the payment window.

My thoughts on the experience were pretty simple. I was willing to voice my impatience and frustration by myself, to myself. The thing was, if I had known someone was listening in, I wouldn't have.

D. L. Moody defined character as what you are in the dark. In essence, this means that you are most you when you are all by yourself, not trying to impress anyone, not trying to please anyone, just being you, yourself, and you again.

I realized that even though I don't consider myself to be a rude and impatient customer, maybe I would be if I only had to serve myself. I don't know. Either way, I am now determined to do a better job making sure things like long lines at fast food joints don't cause me to act in a way I wouldn't be proud of.

Will you take the same challenge?