I'll bet you get good service at mealtime.
This topic has come up in the past before and coming from someone who majored in hotel and restaurants here is my comment:
Actually that last sentence reminds me of an experience I had several years ago. When I worked out of Wash.DC I had 3 days off between trips, so I often would pick up an extra LSA Diner or Lounge job on the CL on my layover days. I made a trip in the diner and during the hectic breakfast rush I saw a woman just sneak in and plop down at a recently vacated table and start scarfing down whatever folks hadn't eaten. I approached her and she scurried out of the diner. About a year or so later I'm working in the lounge on the CL and here comes the dining car LSA following a woman and gets into a discussion with her (breakfast time) about what she thought she was doing sitting down at a dirty table and eating leftovers...Sure enough, same woman!
Maybe she didn't have enough money for food, and the leftovers are just going to get thrown away anyway. I understand it's not allowed, for various healthy/safety regulation reasons, but that makes me feel even worse. I hate seeing food wasted when so many people would be grateful to have it.Agreed. I never really thought about passing protocol before this thread. In all my trips it's never really been an issue. Just hold back a few moments and/or announce your presence and always keep a watchful eye on those around you.
I find myself agreeing with this answer as well. :lol:
Agreed 100%. I find it very hard to fault someone for voluntarily eating leftovers. Sometimes I think we worry too much about keeping up appearances and don't worry enough about the lives of others. If I knew someone was in that position I would happily give them my meal. Just so long as it's not breakfast. ^_^
Aren't we talking about a train here that you have to purchase a ticket to get on in the first place? This isn't a homeless bag lady. And she had the money to buy a ticket. They should kick her off the train for doing that stuff.
The Jersey Way, Right Dick!
Wonder if this would work with Polly on the Texas Eagle??? :giggle:Having the money for a ticket doesn't always mean having money for food. I rode in Coach with a couple who'd spent their last bit of cash, except for maybe $10, because they were moving from IL to AZ to live with her mother. They'd lost their jobs and home and had nowhere to go. Coach on Amtrak was the cheapest option (they didn't have a car). The lady was pregnant, and they were wearing holey sweats. They had one backpack with one change of clothes and their toothbrushes. We spent a lot of time in the SSL together; they were very nice.
Very true! I can't tell you how many situations I've encountered over the years where people were traveling and had no money and /or food. Some very sad cicumstances, my previous example not being one of them. She seemed very "comfortable" with what she was doing.
Please tell me of the personal experiences you've had where an adult you knew to have money chose to repeatedly risk severe public embarrassment in order eat discarded food from a complete stranger's plate unrelated to a dare or prank?
One of the most surprising problems with being poor in America is that even though we're one of the richest countries in the world it seems that few people with enough money to truly assist you will ever believe you're deserving of their help or sympathy. In the years since the Great Depression it seems like we've been trained to see most forms of poverty among strangers as some sort of elaborate hoax or scam against us. Unless you're dying in the street we happily presume you must have a secret stash of cash or other nest egg you're hiding from the rest of us. Never mind that this makes little or no logical sense and isn't supported by any large scale study I'm aware of. So far as I am aware cases of seemingly poor people having serious wealth stashed away somewhere are exceedingly rare while the presumption of rich beggars and vagabonds has become extremely common, even among otherwise intelligent and compassionate people. It's a shame we've become too proud to help each other in a country where so many of us are only a major medical problem, legal problem, or pink slip away from the poverty line. More and more compassion for strangers is being seen as a weakness rather than a virtue.
And if you are dying in the street, it's because you're a lazy shiftless bum that can't be bothered to work and would probably spend any assistance you give them to buy drugs or booze, so why bother.
Stepping away for the moment from the question of whether or not this individual had money or not, why do you think she should
Ryan I know you are kidding, but you would be so surprised at the number of people who actually believe this. Traveling in coach, there have almost always been someone who is moving with their last dime paying for the ticket. I have encountered a couple woman, one in her 30's and one in her 60's who had finally gotten away from an abusive husband and were traveling to live with their parents. One had two little kids who kept saying they were hungry. Half way thru the trip, I got my disability deposited to my account, so I made sure they all ate a good meal. The mother cried when I made the offer and made a reservation for the diner for 4, her and her two kids and myself. The one time I did not worry about walking up the stairs and dealing with the pain. I had to take care of these kids.And if you are dying in the street, it's because you're a lazy shiftless bum that can't be bothered to work and would probably spend any assistance you give them to buy drugs or booze, so why bother.
God forbid we show a little compassion for our fellow man.
