On Tuesday November 11, 2014 because I was broke and didn’t feel like standing in line at a soup kitchen I decided to take advantage of the fact that I am a US Military Veteran [US Navy 1983-1987]. Many businesses offered free or discounted goods and services on this day most of them large chain operations. My biggest regret is that I didn’t get up earlier or otherwise plan my activities for that day otherwise I would have got a lot more swag and had a lot more to brag about. I started the day with a cup of coffee from Starbucks [even though officially I am boycotting that chain for its ongoing support of the Zionist state of Israel and its inhumane and genocidal attacks on the Palestinian people and ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory].
The young lady who served me seemed a bit bewildered and I’m not sure if she secretly held the same or similar feelings I currently do for the U.S. Government, if she knew what my feelings were, if she just felt like I was a no good bum looking for a handout, or if she knew she wasn’t getting a tip or all of the above but at any rate I enjoyed my not so guilty pleasure of enjoying premium coffee for free! Next I got on the bus and enjoyed another free cup of Starbucks coffee on Fisherman’s Wharf and acquired a bottle of their [ I’m sure overpriced ] bottled water that another patron left behind. Clerk 2 also seemed a bit bewildered and I’m not sure if it was for the aforementioned reasons or if due to her being from another nation and didn’t get my accent because honestly even I know it varies at times. Next I went to IHOP on Fisherman’s Wharf Where there was no bewilderment, service was a little slow but cheerful due to the place being packed and enjoyed a free stack of their “Red, White and Blue” pancakes.
While waiting at the counter I enjoyed a little conversation with a fellow Navy Vet. Who served in Vietnam as an officer. He suggested I go to Chili’s which I did where I enjoyed a steak dinner also free! I decided on Chili’s next because I figured I would need some protein after all those carbs before I hit Denny’s for a “Build your own Grand Slam Breakfast” which I missed due to it only being served from 5a.m. to noon and after circling the wharf several times looking for Denny’s [which I found out today is in Holiday Inn, weird the same week Big Bank Hank from the Sugarhill Gang passed. The year their hit “Rappers delight” came out I was still in high school and I started getting in touch with many of my old high school chums this week also eeire !] I even was apparently told bad information by a clerk in one of the local hotels not sure again why but I did.
I made my way too the Maritime Museum to use the rest room where I inadvertently discovered the senior center which I may or may not join and somehow wound up with a free lunch there also. I got on the bus two of them actually and headed to Mission Street where I knew there was a Denny’s, and hit 2 more Starbucks the very last one gave me a very large cup and actually thanked me for my service which none of the others did ! By the time I got to Denny’s it was 2 pm so I missed their swag. I’m generally not accustomed to telling major chains especially those that have had racist incidences in their past to update their addresses on line but when it comes to free stuff yo' dude update your address ! To top the night off I got a free ticket to see Brad Pitt’s WW2 war movie Fury. All in All it was a great movie and as most “historical “ movies it embellished on the truth some because I know America’s military at that time was more segregated than Hitler’s but as Brad Pitt’s character “War Daddy” put it “ Idealism is peaceful history is violent !”