...In which our heroine doubts her fellow man.

Somedays, I love my job. Nothing says Christmas like when two dads bring in their two small children to eat, behave kindly...then dine and ditch. With their kids. They even made the boy ask for change for a five so that they could all leave unnoticed. Because you can eat $32 worth of food, and not pay or tip your broke college kid server.

IT'S TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. How can people be so cold, especially when they're in front of their children? I was not pleased. Dine and ditch is made for dumbass high schoolers, not forty year old fathers.

And it really bothered me because I understand broke. I really do. This is going to be the smallest Christmas we've ever had and I'll be happy for $50 in grocery money. My parents told me not to buy them gifts because they can't reciprocate. And we aren't even close to worst of it. I feel a great deal of sympathy for those on the lower side because I know we're always just one bad break away from it, one hospital stay or broken down car. My family has never and will never be affluent, but I could call my grandmother right now and ask for fifty dollars and she'd get it to me however she could. We always tip generously, donate to charity what we don't have. And for the most part, I notice that those who have the least give the most at work too.

But please, don't steal from others who need money too. Do you really think that Bob Evans employees are millionaires, that anyone working at that shitty restaurant doesn't need the money? If you don't have the money, then simply don't pretend like you do. Of course my brain immediatley went to "But what if they don't have any money for food?" That would have been fine, but then I remembered the fathers got the two most expensive meals on the menu.

I live my life my one simple philosophy: Go good, put it out in the world, and that good karma will come back to you, someday, someway. That's all I expect from others. Drop your spare change in the Salvation Army bucket. Hold a door open for an extra second for someone. Take five minutes to talk to the homeless man who sparks up a conversation with you and your boyfriend. Make someone's day, and yours will be made in return.

Enough with the cheese, I think the Animaniacs can explain the true value of what's important this holiday season best: