Remembering the reason for the season

I don't know how exactly it happened, but today yours truly found himself caught up in the madness that has become Christmastime in America.

There I was in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant that shall remain nameless, hoping to score some bits of batter dipped and fried processed chicken for a hungry 12-year-old fresh out of a dentist's office.

I guess a bunch of other holiday shoppers had the same idea at precisely the same time, because the drive-thru lane was wrapped completely around said fast food establishment . . . not once, but TWICE!

That's right, two loops of hungry people snarled around one little building.

The problem that obviously arose was the exit strategy for the vehicles who eventually made it to the pick-up window and wanted "out of the loop." It seems some individual full of holiday spirit wasn't going to allow an equally jolly little elf so much as an inch.

Fast forward a few moments, and we had a freak show of three angry middle aged women pumping their fists at one another and tossing around words that cannot be reprinted here.

The feckless manager of the besieged restaurant eventually emerged, but just stood their dumbfounded.

Needless to say, we skipped the chicken bits and eventually found a serene little Chinese place down the road.

But, I couldn't help being a little disappointed in those people. This is supposed to be joy and good will. Am I alone in remembering that? I hope not . . .