Time is short...

And even though time was short, Elizabeth and I decided to dine in Sitka, Alaska after our submarine tour and before heading back to our ship. Lunch in Sitka, Alaska. Don’t get to do that any too often.

1:15 - Submarine tour ended.
1:20 - took a shuttle to a little “down home” restaurant on the main road.
1:25 - Sat down at little down home restaurant.
1:30 - Ordered authentic Alaskan clam chowder.
1:31 - Ordered a ‘french dip.’
Don’t laugh. These times are important. To my sanity.

1:40 – a family of five sits down at the table next to us.
1:45 – family of five orders their food.

1:46 – Weather beaten, tired and haggard waitress walks by with a cup of authentic Alaskan clam chowder in her hand. Offers it to the family of five. Not theirs. Waitress takes MY clam chowder and offers it to the next table. Not his, either. Waitress then takes MY clam chowder to yet another table and offers it to them. When they refused it, she said, “It’s complimentary. Go ahead and try it.”

I didn’t really want any clam chowder anyway.

2:00 - still waiting. Family of five gets their food.
2:10 - still waiting. Weather beaten waitress stops by to ask what we ordered. That should’ve been a clue.
Elizabeth wants to leave. I decide to stay. I want to see how this plays out.
2:15 – all food to everyone else in the restaurant arrives. ‘Cept us.
2:30 – family of five finishes and gets check.

ONE HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER SITTING DOWN... Tired and haggard waitress brings our food. Even brought my cup of clam chowder. Tired and haggard waitress didn’t even apologize.

No, we didn’t throw a fit. No, we didn’t complain. We had to eat. But, we sure didn’t tip. Instead I wrote that ol’ waitress a lovely little note on our check.

She tore it up. While I watched.

But despite it all… it was darn near the best clam chowder I ever ate.

Or maybe I was just hungry.

I had waited over an hour for my food…
.