adventures in redding.

so i am in redding, california. i know absolutely no one here. i am staying in my very own dorm room on the simpson university campus. tonight, as i was preparing to walk over to the campus coffee cafe, i heard a woman ask anyone if they needed to go to walmart. she wasn't talking to me, but i decided to take her up on the offer.

so sandra and i went to the redding walmart together. i got a few snacks, then stopped at the walmart mcdonald's to get some dinner. here is the conversation that ensued between myself and the walmart mcdonald's employee:

ME: i would like two grilled chicken snack wraps, please. one honey mustard, one barbecue.
HIM: i'm sorry, we do not do the grilled chicken, only crispy.
ME: oh. okay. well... in that case, i will take one. honey mustard, please. and a strawberry shake.
HIM: we don't have any ice cream. and your snack wrap is going to take 6 minutes while we fry the chicken.
ME: how about i make this simpler. i just want one of these (pointing) bread pretzels. and a packet of honey mustard.
HIM: just a pretzel?
ME: yes, and the honey mustard.
HIM: (turns to another employee) hey, votto, where's the pretzel button on the register? oh, there it is. your total will be $2.04.
ME: okay. (hands him money)
HIM: your order number will be 206.
***** 5 minute wait, while pretzel stares at me through glass *****
HIM: do you want butter on your pretzel?
ME: no. just a packet of honey mustard, please.
HIM: we don't have honey mustard. and we are supposed to charge 10 cents for sauce.

i'm not making this up. this conversation actually happened.

sandra decided to go to in and out burger after our walmart trip to redeem the fast food experience for me. apparently in and out burger is a "must-see" in redding, so i am thankful that i was able to experience it. sandra says that they have a "secret menu" of items that are not listed on their store menus, but that you can order from any in and out burger. unfortunately, sandra did not know anything that would have been on the secret menu, so i ended up getting a burger and a strawberry milkshake, and i must say... the milkshake was one of the best i've ever had. and there is scripture discreetly printed on most of the wrappers. quite interesting.

tomorrow i am going to sit in on classes at the Bethel School of Ministry. i can't wait.