Happy Meals

Today, I bought a happy meal for my 2:45 lunch: cheeseburger, small fries, soft drink--total of $3.35 with the 10% employee discount. While I was eating my meal in not so much happiness as hurry, it occurred to me that I paid more for the toy I am inevitably going to toss away without even a second thought than for the food itself. I could have easily gotten a McDouble or McChicken for $1.00 and a small soft drink for $1.09 since I didn't want the fries anyway. Upon that realization of cost imbalance, I decided to keep the toy just for its measly value, even after I spilled some soda on its wrapping.

Then I waited to clock back in at 3:15. That wait made 3:14 seem to take forever to pass.

An hour and a half later, I talked with the volunteer just because the crowd was fading and it was approaching closing time. Oh, and because she was standing right in front of me. We touched on lunch, and I told her what I had gotten. Then I told her, "You know, if only we were young, carefree and clueless enough to believe that Happy Meals really did magically bring happiness." It's too bad we aren't. Wouldn't it be wonderful, though, if those Happy Meal commercials portrayed reality? A scramble with a bully can be fixed with a Happy Meal; stress at work can be relieved with the purchase of a Happy Meal for your kids. Gosh, if only it were that simple. If only life could be good, good, good with a Happy Meal. If only a Happy Meal really could bring happiness.

I appreciate McDonald's, though. At least they seem to try to make people happy, even if they are contributing to American obesity and eventual fat people frustration. I mean, Burger King has Kids' Meals, for goodness's sake. They're making it obvious that they're only trying to squeeze the money out of kids' parents' wallets, not caring for others' happiness or health!

So there you have my not as eloquent as I would like it to be spiel (I'm missing hyphens there, but you know what I mean) on Happy Meals.

My mission for tonight has been accomplished.

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