THE TIP OFF

I don’t recall exactly how many years ago for the first time when receiving a check for a meal at a restaurant that it had a suggested scale of tipping. I looked this thing over and it calculated to the penny, the amount to add to my bill to give 40%, 35, 30, 25, 20,15, or 10% tip. It was pre-printed right on the bill before a person signed their card… you were supposed to add the automatic tip. It Tipped Me Off then and it tips me off now.

Now it is often a digital screen of some type that takes some savvy and high-tech skill to get past the mandatory tip, or to tip the amount one might choose. The screen is programed the same with calculated increments to the penny amounts for giving from 50% to 10% tips. It Tips Me Off.

This is why it Tips Me Off: It is difficult to give cheerfully and joyfully because of custom and tradition without precedence to any performance or actual earning of a tip. Without the determination of real service and quality… tipping is a sham.

I’m headed over to the other side of the Pond to have some Cuban Coffee and Apricot Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream to try and get my ‘cheerful and joyful’ self to come forth. I plan to tip Roz generously for the Cobbler.

“Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” Jesus