Sorry I've been gone so long but I really don't have any reason except the dog ate my homework. Any other excuse I would use would be just as lame But for real; I have had quite a few different projects going on from screenplays to editing stories and trying to develop them into "shorties" for somebody I haven't even met, yet. That's really no excuse for not keeping this blog going but it's all I have so we both have to deal with this together. OMG--that looks even cornier on paper than it sounded in my head. To tell you the truth; I haven't really and truly been inspired to blog...until now!
You'll notice in my title that I named this column, "Stingray's vs. Brandon". It might sound funny but that's just the way I feel right about now and in an even funnier way; I feel like Sylvester Stallone in that Rambo movie where he looks to Richard Crenna(Troutman) and says, "They drew First Blood". Well, they did and here's my story...I stopped by for a bit on Thursday around one o'clock in the afternoon and the place was absolutely dead with only three tables occupied during the peak of lunch rush. This is not supposed to happen your first month open, especially in a pre-established store, you should be jam-packed for lunch and dinner unless you have seriously messed up. I sat down and when the very pretty, young waitress finally came to my table; I ordered a Beer and a Shrimp Pasta. I had seen the cook before from when the place was Shell's, so I figured I was in safe hands and could count on a good meal. At the table next to me, I noticed a good looking woman in her early thirties (I would guess) and she asked the waitress for a job application. After a moment or two; this guy came out, I assume he was the Manager, and he told her they were out of applications but they would have some more in by next week. The drifty waitress floated by again without noticing I didn't have any lunch silverware and my beer could have used a re-charge. The nice woman looking for the job finished her soda and spent the better part of the next ten minutes trying to get the very pretty, drifty waitresses attention to get a to-go box. At this point; I see this very pretty, drifty airhead of a waitress go over to the corner and whisper to another waitress and I saw them both look at me, then quickly turn away. I knew she forgot to put my order in but I wasn't angry at this point...it happens in this industry once in a while so no big deal I was thinking. The thing that angered me was that she ignored me and avoided me to the point to where a soda, glass of water or even just an ice cube to suck on would have been comforting. I thought to myself about how good this pasta better be....BUT NOOOOOO! The pasta was under-cooked while the shrimp was tiny and over-cooked. The undersized shrimp even had that little vein that runs down their back intact. You know the vein I'm talking about--That's Right!...the 'Poop vein'. YUMMY!! Then, just as I'm about to ask for a Manager; a very pretty, adorable, nineteen year old little girl walks in and asks my adorable airhead for a job application. She smiled, flipped her hair and giggled just right and behold; the very same Manager happened to find an application for her, so I knew right away what type of establishment I was up against. Somebody needs to tell these people that airheads don't pay the rent in this industry---Oh Wait, never mind---I'm telling them now!!!
Then I went to Publix and was standing in line and listening to a woman who didn't get a job at Stingray's standing there telling a story about a rat she saw walking by the front door. That was an absolute lie...you could see liar spelled out all over her face but just the fact that she was spreading the rumor will affect them, regardless. I've even heard the nick name STINK-RAY'S at two different places and it's much too soon for this type of public hate at such an early start to their future.
In my opinion; their main problem is the lack of intelligent management at this point. They are a sexual harassment law suit waiting to happen as well as them being idiots for hiring kids who are clueless(but adorable!). They've angered too many people too quickly and Brandon is not known for being a forgiving town as far as restaurants are concerned. I give management six months and at the rate they are going I don't expect Stingray's to be open into the year 2010.
GOOD APPETITE BRANDON---RDCOOK
