So. Jason Boyett was headed to Waco. Good times. His flight gets delayed in Amarillo and so I send Ben and Matt to pick him up… in Dallas. I say:
Me: Ben, Matt, take Boyett some place nice.
Ben/Matt: You got it boss. Some place nice.
That evening JR, Greg, and I welcomed Ben Moore Band and proceeded to take them out to dinner to “some place nice.” Where did we take them to? Ninfas. A Waco legend. That is some place nice, right? YES.
Around 9:30pm I go and pick up Boyett from his hotel and here is our conversation:
Me: Boyett, so glad you made it here and we’re excited about this weekend.
Boyett: It’s a pleasure to meet you too. I’m pumped as well. Thanks for having the guys pick me up.
Me: They didn’t embarrass themselves did they?
Boyett: No, not really. It was an entertaining conversation.
Me: I’m sure it was. Did they take you to some place nice to eat?
Boyett: Um. Yeah, sure.
Me: Well, where did they take you?
[awkward pause]
Boyett: Jack in the Box.
Me: WHAT?! I told them to take you to some place nice.
Boyett: Well… I did get the sirloin burger.
Me: I guess that counts then.
Now I know that “some place nice” can be interpreted as really anything, but what I had in mind was Texas Roadhouse, or Uncle Julio’s, or even On the Boarder. In this moment, I realized that what I had wanted wasn’t precisely communicated. I can’t assume that “some place nice” means to college students what it means to Abby and me. In all honesty, I sometimes forget that I work with college students, and to college students, eating out at Jack in the Box is a real treat. But, if there is ever something you really want communicated, say it. In the end Boyett got fed; the Boys made it back safely w/ him; and it was a great weekend.