Makin' Cheesecakes

I’ve been ignoring my blog for awhile, but I really have had better things to do! The past few nights I’ve been busy putting together my election “platform” so to speak, for my run for the school board. I’ll comment more on my campaign after September 12. PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE! YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

Ok, I’m kind of tired of school board talk so let’s move on.

We were kid-less for a night, so we footed it to the big city. Ok, maybe Des Moines isn’t your idea of a big city, bit it’s definitely bigger than where I live. We have a new fancy mall there that is supposed to make us feel like we’re in Chicago or something. Doesn’t really do that for me, but I like it and I go there every time I’m in Des Moines. Along with the fancy new mall with the chic stores, it also has hip eateries such as P.F. Chang, Joe’s Crab Shack and The Cheesecake Factory. Love The Cheesecake Factory.

So we decide to hit The Factory at around 5:00 thinking the line may not be so long. We were told our wait would only be 15-30 minutes. Not bad. Heck, I didn’t have any kids along so what was the hurry? Besides, I’m always good for a few minutes of people watching. So we find a seat and start our wait.

We see the typical people: people with baby strollers trying desperately to squeeze them through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Even saw a double stroller shoving people aside. What IS it with these parents?? (see, I could say that because there was no way to prove to that crowd that I was a parent or that I ever did that when I was in stroller mode.) Also saw the guy in the brown shorts with the brown socks and sandals.

Saw the multi-generational family: “Mom, come sit down. You shouldn’t be standing. Zach, quit running around and sit by your grandmother. No, really Mom, would you please sit down? Dad, you just hit that guy with your walker. Damn, I think the baby’s diaper needs changed. Did we bring the baby food? Yes, Dad, they probably serve two percent milk here.” DH and I sat in our seats loving every minute of it. I’m even thinking, “I hope our buzzer doesn’t go off anytime soon because this is comical!” Little did I know the comedy hadn’t even begun yet.

As you know by now, there was a long wait. The lobby was PACKED. Strollers, walkers old people, young people everywhere. I see a man in a polyester shirt and a young teen step up to the main door. The man taps another man on the shoulder. Tap tap tap

Polyester Man: “Is this the line?”
Non-Polyester Man: “You have to go up there to put your name in.”
PM: “How much does it cost?”
NPM: “It depends on what you order.”
PM: “Nah, I really just want to watch.”
NPM: “Watch what? What the hell are you talking about?”
PM: “This here's the Cheesecake Factory, ain't it? Ain't this where they make them cheesecakes?
NPM: “Dude, this is a restaurant.”
PM: “Oh, I thought this is where they made them cheesecakes and this line was to watch them.”

Polyester Man and Son turned to each other, shrugged their shoulders, and walked away. If my buzzer hadn’t gone off just at that moment, I may have stood up and followed them around the mall all night to see what else they were looking for. I would have loved to have seen them stop in for a healthy snack at the Banana Republic.