We The People
It seems the things we all take for granted can change with or without notice, the results of both can fall into one of two categories. Either it’s no big deal or it has dreaded implications. Recently I was in a Chinese restaurant and the decor was, as you would expect, Chinese. None of the customers wore a baseball cap or a cowboy hat. All good so far. But the background music wasn’t Chinese, it was rap, a change I felt would cause my just ordered chicken and rice to have the same effect as being water boarded with soy sauce. The background music was, of course, chosen by someone who worked there and either they wanted music that reflected their personal taste or they just didn’t pay attention to what they dialed into the computer service that provided the music. But it didn’t have a lasting effect.
The food arrived and the conversation kicked in. Soon the rap music became,… no big deal. Just hardly noticeable yet contrasting background noise. Meanwhile all the tables were full and there were two lines. Customers waiting to be seated in one line and folks in the carry out line. At the same time, four or five cooks were feverishly filling orders, flames occasionally leaping into the air as they worked their wok magic.
Not one of them realized that the smooth flow of their seamless job performance provided hypnotic entertainment to all who would watch. It was rush hour and the Chinese restaurant was slammed but the organizational flow chart made it the best show in town. I was witness to a culinary symphony second to none. Each part was played out under constant pressure yet the results were relished. No name calling, no pouting, no threats of a work slowdown because someone on the flow chart ordered the wrong fortune cookies.
And as customers left workers descended quickly and quietly, removing dirty dishes and cleaning tables without disturbing nearby customers. What a performance. And you’re eager to leave a tip. As expected my thoughts turned to another area that could use what I had just witnessed,… commitment, manners and a better flow chart. Of course, I’m talking about public service,… folks elected to office at all levels, local, state and national. Take Congress for example,… please. There was a time, not too long ago, when on the floor of the House and Senate, members would agree or disagree, get loud and sometimes funny, say too much or say too little or embarrass themselves and the rest of the country. But they understood they were there to serve the people,… not special interests. They would also cross the isle to talk to the opposition in an effort to work out stumbling blocks.
Sometimes, in spite of themselves, they’d get the job done. And too, sometimes at the end of the day, opposition leaders might gather in one office or another and over a little bourbon and branch water, review their progress and talk about tomorrow. They’d also agree to disagree, which made their performance almost symphonic in nature. That’s not the way it works these days and that’s a sad state of affairs. Virtually nothing is accomplished short of strutting and crowing for the cable T.V. channels. Fortunately the warranty or the Constitution and the owner’s manual meaning the Bill of Rights offer some protection. But its far from a political symphony because now there’s talk of changing the Constitution to reflect one party’s rhetoric. That’s the down side. The up side is we don’t live in a Democracy. Rather it is a Republic so it should survive. But more than anything else, right now its just an embarrassment with dreaded implications. No political symphony here,… so, forget the tip.
I’m Sam Jones and that’s my perspective.
