The struggle is real

When you’re hungry and have horrible chicken cravings, the last thing you want to do is wait in monster sized lines. However, expecting speedy service and less of a migraine is not easy to come by in the union at The Southern University. With the announcement of its long awaited return, news reached all over campus in a matter of minutes through social media. No need to travel down Airline Highway in search for some Popeye’s, the union now will supply your needs, but at what cost? Not only do you have to worry if they will run out of that spicy chicken that we all know and love, but you also have to almost strategically time your visits perfectly in between classes so you won’t be late! I was standing in line the other day, starving, plotting on what I should order, when I overheard a staff member say, “We’re out of tenders.” Usually that wouldn’t have bothered me as much because there were only a few people waiting in line, but after seeing that there were about 30 people waiting, I started getting concerned.
I looked over at the mob of people waiting for their food and their faces told me everything I needed to know, don’t get the tenders! I then looked behind the counter at the workers pacing nonchalantly back and forth checking the oven, and the cook casually making as many tenders as possible to fit the needs of their customers. I could clearly see why there was such a vexing attitude hanging in the air. I tried my hardest to occupy my time, but of course my friends became busy for the first time all day and my phone was slowly dying from listening to music. “Burger King doesn’t sound too bad right about now.” I turned around and quickly realized the line is just as bad as Popeye’s, I’m stuck!
After what feels like ages, I finally made my way to the front. As soon as I was about to place my order, a person in the next line got in front of me. It took me a moment to process what was happening until I realized the other register was completely empty. “Did this lady really just walk off at a time like this?” I wait a little longer and the guy in front of me strolls away from the register. When I moved up, I felt twenty different eyes fix themselves on the back of my neck. I started placing my order, but my voice was quickly hushed by all the conversations going on around me. With all the commotion in the background, I ended up barking my order like a Drill Sergeant just to get my point across. Afterwards, I got my drink and shuffled to the waiting area.
“50! 54! 45!” I casually pulled out my now wrinkled receipt “362? I’m going to be here forever. Oh wait! I must be 62.” “50! 50! 61! 62!” I made my way to my food and tried my hardest to not make eye contact with the mob of people who had been waiting for 30 plus minutes for chicken tenders. As I got my box and left, I overheard the workers say, “Are you sure that’s his?” At this point I don’t care if all I got was a box of biscuits, I was going to take my food and go home. Ironically I got to a table and I double checked my box, a box full of biscuits would not fill me up the way chicken would. As I make my way home, I made a mental note “Don’t go to the Union the first two weeks after Popeye’s opens.”