“Band Aids” Never Last

For those that have recently followed my blog and may not know, I released a book of poetry last year called Blurred Vision (you can purchase a copy here on my website). I’m really getting excited about my second book though, which I won’t reveal the name of just yet. I’ll just say that it has something to do with seeing more clearly after the “Blurred Vision” has passed. But it will be released during the first half of next year. Here’s one of the poems that will be included in my new book, called “Band Aid”. The poem speaks about how we often put temporary fixes on issues that need more attention than just a quick band-aid. Let me know what you think!

Band Aid

You cannot ignore what

You are not willing to fix

The raw meat of the issue

Lies strategically betwixt your temporary solutions

And your conscience

This conjunction is a conundrum

Much more complicated than a catch 22

Cause that can easily be

Caught, conquered and split in 2

Unlike this crass bag of disaster

That leaves me flat on my ass

After deep thoughts cannot divide

Happy moments cannot subtract enough

To change what’s on the other half

Of the equals sign

It’s time to face what

Can’t be erased

We are soldiers strapped for war

Ironically marching in place

With patches over skin

Like quilted tapestry

Trying to heal wounds

Soul sunken deep

Band aids alone were never meant

To cure your issues

They just help block out extra debri…

For a little while

So rip it off

Even if it comes with

A little skin

You’ll do yourself more of a favor

Than that band-aid ever did

Finger Licking Good

Imagine going to your favorite fast food restaurant. You can’t wait to get there after work, school or football practice and enjoy your favorite combo. The number 1 with cheese, large fries and a large soda. You come there so much, they know you by name and you know how much you’re going to pay….down to the cent. The cashier says, “See you tomorrow!” And you know they’re exactly right because you’ll be there at the same time tomorrow evening. You get your food, sink your teeth into your burger and…..um, wait. Hmmm….something rubbery and fleshy here….A FINGER! That’s right….you told them to hold the tomatoes and mayo, and they gave you a finger instead. WTH?!!! This has got to be a joke, but it looks and tastes all too real to be a prank.

On May 11, 2012, this was exactly the case for Michigan teen Ryan Hart.  He bit down into his Arby’s roast beef sandwich and to hs surprise, found a finger in it. Well it technically wasn’t a whole finger. It was approximately one inch long and a quarter-inch thick. But who cares about the size??? The real question here is why was there any part of a human finger in his sandwich!? Again…WTH?!?! Apparently, one of the workers cut her finger on a meat slicer and fled her work area without the other employees noticing. Ok, cuts happen…and Neosporin heals cuts faster. But why in the world didn’t any of the other employees notice this??? Come on now, Arby’s I know you’re  making a come back, but nobody is (or should be) that busy where you don’t see a coworker with a bloody finger (or at least traces of the evidence)! SMH…

Thankfully, Ryan has had his blood tested and everything came back fine. But that could have turned out much worse than it did. To add an even more interesting twist, his mother, Jamie Vail,  is unsure on whether or not she’ll sue Arby’s. Unsure????? Jamie, did you not put on deodorant that day? What do you mean unsure???? Maybe she’s trying to practice turning the other cheek (or finger), but I doubt I could be that strong if that happened to my son. Hopefully she’s going to take action on this though, and she’s just saying she’s “unsure” because that’s what her lawyer told her to say.

Is it just me, or does this make you leery of any fast food places now??? accidents like this can happen, but I’d just feel much more comfortable cutting my own finger and then trying to prepare my own food afterwards…at home. But when you really think about it, isn’t that the case with most restaurants? We give them our money in exchange for food that we trust at least meets minimal health standards. And get this, that same Arby’s in Michigan is still in business! I would assume an event like that would shut anybody’s restaurant down, but no…Arby’s is still standing tall and promoting their “Delicious” roast beef sandwich.

So what do you think about this case? Should the employee who cut her finger be punished? Should the mother decide not to sue Arby’s? What would you do here and how much faith do you have in fast food service….or any restaurant for that matter? Bon appetit!