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Thursday, June 16, 2005

I Like Free

At least once a week, but usually twice, I withstand long lines just for the chance to gorge myself on a Chipotle burrito, or if I'm feeling guilty, I skip the tortilla and meat and get a veggie bowl. It's so good, and so close to my office that I can't resist.

And, even better, I haven't paid for a single meal at Chipotle in the last two months. It's been free every time.

Why?

I have a burrito daddy.

Whenever I get in line, we make eye contact, he behind the counter and I at the end of the queue. I give a little wink and he -- clad in his Chipotle gear -- gives a little nod.

As I travel through the line, I feel him smiling at me. The first person fills my bowl with rice and black beans, the second adds salsa and sour cream, the third adds lettuce and covers it with aluminum foil, and then I'm there, in front of my burrito daddy, who is three inches shorter than me, about 25 years old and speaks little English.

"Hello!" he says with a Mexican accent.

"Hello!" I say.

"Is this all for you?" he asks.

"I'll take a soda please."

And then I push my debit card toward him.

"Thank you!" he says, ignoring my plastic.

"No, thank you!" I say with a look that says, "you really don't have to do that... but please don't stop."

It's been going on this way without fail for weeks. I don't know when it will end... or what I will have to give in return. Exactly how much is a free burrito worth?

Quite a bit, I'd say.

Posted by Aaron on June 16, 2005 4:41 PM