The importance of tipping

During my first semester at Utah, very few things were going for me.  First, well, I came expecting Yamerica, but what I got was Utah.  Second, within the first week, I realized all my four years of Engineering and my hard-worked above-average GPA could go for a toss as being completely worthless.  The material was miles ahead of what I learnt, and look Ma, they give out problems, no short answer questions like we had back home! Tough, tough problems. Third, did I mention it was Utah? Translated - effin cold?   I did count my one big blessing - I had a part time research assistant-ship job. But since it was only part time, I flipped burgers at the campus grill.

By December, I had just about had it.  Most days, I was so tired from working in the grill  and the back and forth trudging in snow, that it was an effort to stay awake in class, much less at night. I constantly emanated a greasy smell, which to this day, I can recall in an instant.  It was always freezing cold. My grades were so low, I was hoping for a miracle. I hadn't understood major parts of my subjects, and I was flaying at problems. Our TA had just discovered interesting similarities between all our homeworks, so we were expecting getting called into the profs office very soon. I wasn't broke yet but knew that I needed to convert my research job from part-time to full-time if I needed to pay fees.

One day, I was at the grill generally brooding over my problems.  It was almost close-up so I started cleaning the grill.  I looked up and found this one guy who said - Can you make me a cheeseburger?  My shoulders must have stooped, and I must have let out a moan. What he said next totally took me back . "Sorry, my man. Here, let me make it up to you.  I know am not supposed to tip you but here.." he said, handing me a closed fist.  I palmed  what he gave me and opened it to see a $1 coin.  That was the first (and only) time I ever saw a $1 as a coin. And that was the first (and only) time I ever got tipped. The effect was instantaneous. My tiredness forgotten, I made him my very best.

I fiddled around with the coin in my pocket the next couple of days.  I went back and forth on spending it. Some part of me said no, don't spend it.  The other part said - hey, it's free money.  I ended up spending it finally to pay for a cheeseburger (how fitting, I thought).  I made a show of it to the cashier almost to say - look here's a $1 coin, ask me where I got it.  She didn't and the coin was gone.

December came and went. I did much better in the second sem, even grew to like the Grill. I quit when full-time research came around.  But since then, I've always tipped waiters, much to the chagrin of family.  I didn't tip all that big but I tipped very frequently, even for bad service. I would tip for coffees and for take-out. My dad and I fought over how much to tip a waiter in India.   Recently, I saw HG wrestling with the decision on whether to tip the eyebrow parlor lady.  She kept apologizing after saying that the time she worked came back to her.  I told her I completely understand.

Now, I've started cutting back just because being a student again changes things a bit.  But I tell you, tipping is almost an urge for me.