OOPS! DON'T DRINK THAT!

     A story is coming out of Colorado that seafood chain restaurant, Joe's Crab Shack is under investigation after children downed some booze-filled cocktails that were served to them by mistake. I say "so what?" I remember when I was about 7 or 8-years-old, I was a junior usher at my mom's cousin's wedding. The reception was at some Chinese restaurant in Chinatown in New York City. The waiters had set up this table full of glasses of what looked like fruit punch, only it wasn't just fruit punch. It was a rum punch. Now, these waiters saw me, who was clearly not an adult, drinking at least three full glasses of these rum punch drinks and they didn't even say a word. Needless to say, I got sick because I couldn't hold my liquor and ended up vomiting all over one of the bridesmaids dresses. Yes, it's funny now, but back then, my parents were not to happy. Today, I get an allergic reaction to drinking any alcohol, so if this mistake happened to me now, I may end up in the emergency room. Anyway, back to the Joe's Crab Shack story! 

     So, six cousins, between the ages of 2 and 8, reportedly gulped down a rum and vodka-spiked drink during a family visit to the seafood chain in Colorado Springs last Wednesday. It was only after some of them already finished their drinks that a waitress rushed back to say that the drinks were made with the wrong ingredients. The manager then attended the table, and revealed that the drink originally ordered from the kids' menu, the Shark Nibbles, had alcohol in it. A blundering bartender had apparently mistaken the order for the adult version of the drink, the Shark Bite, which is what the kids were served. The adult beverage contains Bacardi Limon Rum, Skyy Vodka, blue curacao, and what's described on the menu as "a dangerous dose of grenadine." I have to admit that this sounds like a pretty expensive drink. I hope the family didn't get charged for it. 

     Trista and Omar Montoya, who'd brought the children and some visiting relatives to what they described as their favorite eatery, said they were left "horrified" by the error. When one of the little girls began to feel ill, paramedics were called to the scene. Luckily, all of the children were checked over by medics and later sent home in good health. Joe's Crab Shack execs released a statement claiming that they were not investigating the incident and saying, "We do not condone underage service of any kind. Our guests can be rest assured our processes are continuously examined so incidents like this are avoided." Police in Colorado Springs are also investigating the situation.

     Come on, really? Did someone die? Did one of the kids become terminally ill? Was it done on purpose? No to all of thee above! It was obviously an accident. I'm sure the bartender feels horrible about it, but when you are in a fast-paced restaurant like Joe's there is bound to be mistakes. Unfortunately, this one included children. Did they leave in good health? Yes. Was there an investigation when I threw up all over a bridesmaids dress because these Chinese waiters allowed me to drink the rum punch? No! It was an accident and no one got hurt! Just give the family a free meal and go your separate ways! What needs to be investigated? I don't get it!