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June 13, 2006
Mmm-mmm . . . DO-nuts!
I got carded last weekend.
Well, not exactly.
I got asked. I went to Dunkin’ Donuts, and the fellow behind the corner, a cheerful young man who looked like he had taken full advantage of the fringe benefits of his position, asked me if I qualified for the discount.
I was perplexed by the question, thinking there must be some kind of discount card for regular Dunkin’ Donuts customers. I’m not that regular a customer, although the coffee rolls (microwaved 45 seconds with a pat of margarine on top) rank near the top of my wife’s and my guilty pleasure list. I was there mainly to get a chocolate frosted donut with sprinkles for Grace, our perfect 5-year-old granddaughter, and glazed donuts for Jackson, our he-man 2-year-old grandson, neither of whom we spoil in any way when they stay with us. Naturally, as long as I was at DD, I also ordered coffee rolls for Monique and me.
When I acted confused about whether I qualified for the discount, wagging my head somewhere between a nod and a shake – I mean, who wants to volunteer too readily that he doesn’t qualify for the discount? – the counterman rephrased his question.
“Are you over 55?” he said.
I grinned and said, yes, I was.
On the way home, several things occurred to me, none of them worth the 76 cents I’d saved on my purchase.
The first was that once upon a time people said I looked younger than my age. Maybe they were just being kind, but it’s certainly not true anymore. If I didn’t look over 55, the counterman wouldn’t have asked. I mean, it wouldn’t do Dunkin’ Donuts much good to have its employees asking 51-year-olds if they were over 55.
My second thought was that this particular discount had a cruel twist – a cruller twist, you might say. So what Dunkin’ Donuts is offering here is a discount intended to entice me to eat more donuts. And the more donuts I eat, the sooner I . . . expire, to use a euphemism that always gives me a chuckle.
But the third and final thought was even worse than that. I turn 60 next month, so unless Dunkin’ Donuts just started offering this deal, I’ve missed nearly five years of discount coffee rolls.
Some days it only seems like you win.
Posted by Mike Pride at June 13, 2006 06:06 PM
Comments
Just accept it and be glad that you managed to live this long. Some people never get there for various reasons. Isn't it nice that someone appreciates older people?
Posted by: Bill Kaiser at June 15, 2006 05:52 PM
Mike , I enjoyed you awaking coffee story at dunkin donuts , I ask for the senior discount, some branches don't give , some automaticly give it I will take it anytime I can , Question ,you finished your story and did not , being Editor you must have an stand one way or another ,would continue to ask or just set back and take maybe enjoy the weekend peter yelle [I just recieved my medicare card ]
Posted by: peter yelle at June 16, 2006 12:06 PM