Certain gingerbread men.

I truly do think that IN-N-OUT restaurants hire the nicest people to work there.  Like, you need to be abnormally friendly to work at IN-N-OUT.  How to be at your friendliest, must be a chapter in the employee handbook that you are required to read once you are hired.

When I went through the drive-thru the other day I commented on how adorable this Christmas pin was.  So Rick, the guy at the window said (without hesitation), "Oh here, you can have it."  Really?  Sweet.

Here is a closer look: 

One of the girls who is probably a full time employee, since I see her there quite often, is Tess.  Sometimes she's at the window, sometimes she stands outside in the elements and takes your order.  (Unlike most drive-thru's, IN-N-OUT has their peeps walk down the line of cars at busy times during the day to take orders.  They said that calling in the orders that way makes the line move quicker.  Great customer service at IN-N-OUT.)

So when I saw Tess the other day I was reminded of how pretty she is.  She has gorgeous eyes, a nice mouth, and she does her make-up impeccably.  She's almost too pretty to be working at a fast food place.  I have thought that about a couple of workers at the McDonald's here too.  Like, Why in the world would you be taking burger orders when you should be modeling?

But then my mind wandered and I remember hearing that Anna Nicole Smith was discovered at a Dairy Queen in her random, tiny little hometown.  And I think it was one of the Hollywood glam-girl movie stars who was discovered in a corner drug store too.

And then my mind wandered off to thinking about just how many people actually come through IN-N-OUT in a given day, or week or month, and that really would be a lot of exposure for their employees.  And I thought, You know, maybe that would be a good source of meeting people (i.e.: like a nice guy) for me.  I'm only half serious, but you never know ....

And then I thought about telling Sophie that I was going to get a night job at IN-N-OUT and hearing her response, "MOM! NO! That would be so embarrassing!!!!!"  Because that's what she said to me another time when I told her I should get a second job delivering pizzas to bring in some extra money.  She said that same thing - it would be WAY too embarrassing if I delivered to a house where there was people she knew or, heaven forbid, she was actually at a party at a house where I might deliver the pizzas.  I told her that that would actually be a good thing, because if people knew I was her mom then I would probably get a really good tip.

"MOM!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"  I had to laugh.

Does your mind ever wander quite as far as mine does?