If you are looking at how oil at $110 per barrel and gas approaching $5 per gallon will Make America Great Again, I refer you to the Trump Toadies on Fox News. I am sure they can explain it. They might even possibly believe it.
On the other hand, if you think boys-turned-into-girls should be allowed to compete in women’s sports – an issue that affects a whopping 0.002% of U.S. college athletes – then you need to go to Weenie World, aka, MS NOW. No question they do believe it.
However, if you are seeking some juicy inside information to share at your next Sunday School social or cocktail party – or both – and wow the crowd, you have come to the right place. Making you the envy of the neighborhood is my sacred duty.
For example, did you know that Chick-fil-A is the No. 1 choice of Georgia men who would consider proposing in a fast food restaurant? That comes from Ace.com, a social casino website. They say they surveyed 3,020 men as to which fast food chains they believe give them the best odds of hearing “yes.”
The premise is that with the cost of living being so high these days, a candlelit dinner - once the gold standard for asking the question - is increasingly being swapped out for proposals over fries and a soft drink.
More than one in three Georgia males admit that rising dining costs make them more likely to consider a budget-friendly venue - suggesting romance is increasingly being balanced with practicality. (“Darling, two questions: Will you marry me and are you going to finish those fries?”)
They also asked 100 women what they thought of the idea. 49% percent said it would be funny but memorable and 24% said they would find it romantic. That tells me 76% percent don’t find it romantic and would prefer a candlelit dinner with wine in a glass and not a vanilla milkshake with a straw. So, if I were the guys, I would think that proposal idea over very carefully.
Why Chick-fil-A? Ace.com says the chain is known for its “relentlessly polite service and calm, family-friendly atmosphere. For many Georgia men, it feels like the place where the odds quietly tilt in their favor without trying too hard.” It is also where the staff always says, “My pleasure” instead of “No problem.” I hate “no problem.” I don’t care if it is a problem or not. That’s their problem. Not mine.
I didn’t propose to the Beloved Woman Who Shared My Name at a fast food restaurant. I proposed to her in a chartreuse and black Ford Fairlane. It wasn’t a surprise and, frankly, not particularly romantic. We knew we were getting married. She had already picked out the ring and I had bought it with money I made carrying mail over the Christmas holidays. I don’t think fries and a Coke would have made much of a difference, except it would have been like me to spill the Coke in the front seat and get fussed at.
There is no chance I would have proposed at a local Chick-fil-A because it didn’t exist then. Our only option would have been the Dwarf Grill on Central Avenue in Hapeville, down from the train depot. It was run by a gentleman named Truett Cathy. The place was very small – hence the name Dwarf Grill — and kind of smoky. Mr. Cathy’s wife, Jeannette, taught the Beloved Woman Who Shared My Name in a girl’s Sunday School class at Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church and Mr. Cathy taught the boys. They also served really good hamburgers as I recall.
Somehow, between frying hamburgers and praising the Lord, Truett Cathy found a way to create a chicken sandwich and an international restaurant chain with more than 3,000 stores and $22 billion in annual revenue. A long way from the Dwarf Grill. By the way, if you plan propose at your local Chick-fil-A, make it sometime between Monday and Saturday. They aren’t open on Sunday.
Ace.com says Georgia boys have named other alternate chains where they would consider popping the question, like Dairy Queen, McDonald’s and Taco Bell. That is all well and good but it’s not where you propose that counts, be it a fast food restaurant or a chartreuse and black Ford Fairlane. It is the commitment you are about to make. It’s not cheap. It is for a lifetime. Think carefully and don’t bite off more than you can chew.
You can reach Dick Yarbrough at dick@dickyarbrough.com or at P.O. Box 725373, Atlanta, Georgia 31139.
