They're Not Gonna Take It
My twisted sister Alicia (I call her Squeak) owns Tailgate Picnic, the deli downstairs from our world headquarters. The place has been there 30-plus years. Between COVID, rising costs and staffing and supply shortages, it’s been a Wacko Jacko roller-coaster ride for everybody in food service the last coupla years.
But you know what the worst part is? Unruly customers.
People have reached a new level of impatience. This week alone, New York Times writer David Brooks wrote a piece titled “America Is Coming Apart At The Seams” and Substack writer Matthew Yglesias wrote about all the bad behavior on the rise.
What the Christ? We’ve all heard the stories. Donnybrooks at kids’ sporting events, fisticuffs at the supermarket, brouhahas and battle royales on airplanes. Worst of all is the complete loss of standards among journalists and elected officials. It’s given a free license for everyone else to act like children.
My sister has been through all that. But she ain’t taking it anymore, Popeye. A little while back, Squeak called and asked me to dig up a design we did years ago for Joe Sibilia down on Gasoline Alley in Springfield. The message on the stickers and buttons is loud and clear: No Crybabies Allowed.
So we printed up another run and now the crew at Tailgate is wearing the button and slapping the sticker all over the deli. Customers either laugh or hold back the insults. Goes to show a wise-ass sense of humor takes the edge off. Also goes to show the customer ain’t always right.
Now what’s happening is that construction workers, landscapers, snowplow operators, teachers and anybody else who has direct contact with the public are asking for the goddamn things.
If you need a few, call me. Keep your dukes up.