The Sandwich Ordering Blues

So I’m wondering just what this all means. In particularly, I'm wondering what it says about me.

How’s that for a teaser intro? That’s called ‘hooking the reader.’ Actually, it may be called something else entirely. Honestly, I’m too lazy to look it up, and I just went with the first thing that came to my mind.

Anyway….

Today I stopped by Jimmy John’s, since cooking would not have fit in with my plans of collapsing after work and doing absolutely nothing but the requisite breathing.

Now, I get food at Jimmy John’s once a week, at most. One of my character flaws is that I get into ruts easily, and so it has become with Jimmy John’s, as I always order the exact same sandwich. (My excuse for this: After working all day, who wants to make even more decisions?)

Today I walked in and noticed that the cute-but-always-seemingly-angry-or-just-emotionally-detached girl was making sandwiches. I had no problem with this, as she makes good sandwiches, and I believe that everybody has the right to be annoyed with, or detached from, their job. Anyway, I was about to put in my usual order when she, totally out of character, suddenly blurted it out, complete with the holding of mayo and adding of onions, all in the form of a question.

Obviously, I had become predictable.

I wasn’t sure if she thought she was being nice or if she was just having fun. Regardless, I nodded sheepishly, suddenly feeling stupid. Then I made a crack about knowing that it would be six dollars, because that’s how I handle awkward situations, with un-funny attempts at humor.

A moment later, though, I realized that I was annoyed. More importantly, I realized that I could never eat at that particular Jimmy John’s again.

Here’s why.

I understand that I’m predictable. I’ll admit that I like knowing what’s coming. I don’t consider that to be a bad thing. However, I do have a problem when I’m basically accused of being predictable. It’s pretty much the same as saying I’m boring, and who wants to be known as Mr. Boring Guy? I mean, you never hear girls swooning over a guy and saying something like, “He wears the same shirt every Thursday! Oh my!”

As for never going back to that particular Jimmy John's, you’d think I'd have other options, but I really don’t.

If I went back and changed my order, I would essentially be admitting that I was boring, which would mean that I was desperately trying to change myself, just to gain the approval of others. Not an option.

If I went back and ordered the same thing, with the mindset of I should do whatever makes me happy, I would then be proving just how boring I am, and Same-Shirt-Every-Thursday-Man would gain just a slightly tighter grip over me. Also not an option.

So now I can’t go back, ever, ever, ever, not unless I wait for the entire staff to turnover, in which case I could start again with a clean slate.

There’s no room for debate. It’s just how it is.

Now, I realize that this whole thing is quite ridiculous. Still, I’ve already made up my mind, and I don’t think it’s going to be changing anytime soon, which is why I’m wondering what this all says about me.

Am I being petty? Should I eat whatever I want, whenever I want to, even if I’m branded as the guy who never changes his order? Long live Mr. Same-Shirt-Every-Thursday-Man!!??

Or am I justified in my anger? Should I not have to put up with insinuations of my level of boring-ness? Should I take my business elsewhere, and let pure economics take their toll, as that particular Jimmy John’s would then start to lose six dollars a week?

Or should I just quit whining about frivolous stuff and cook more?

It’s a lot to think about, and it’s going to take some time. All I know is that I won’t be thinking about it over Jimmy John’s. Those days are gone.