Knowing Is Half The Battle

(I’m a server in my restaurant. The Sunday lunch crowd is usually the elderly. An older gentleman and his wife are seated, and I take their drink order.)

Me: “Would you like anything else to drink besides water?”

Customer: “Yes, I’d like a drink.”

Me: “Okay, what kind?”

(He doesn’t respond and looks at me for a while.)

Me: “We have canned soda: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Mt. Dew, Sunkist, iced tea, hot tea, coffee–”

Customer: “Yes, I want a can.”

Me: “Um, I…” *smile* “Which one?”

(He stares at me for a good while, like I should know better. Finally, his wife chimes in.)

Wife: “He’d like a Coke, please.”