I recently referenced the "Large Chocolate Shake To Go" person in one of my tweets and it elicited several questioning looks. It's been awhile since I told the story, so I figured I would drop it here for posterity and clarity.
Imagine, if you will, a scorchingly hot day on the USC campus. I'm just leaving Claire Bono's CS410 Compilers class and I have 10 minutes to make it across campus for my next class. I decide to make a quick stop at the Carl's Jr on campus to grab... A Large Chocolate Shake To Go.
The lines are deep, but I'm just asking for a large chocolate shake to go so it's not like my order will take a long time so I wait in line. I finally up to the front and I say:
Me: I'd like a large chocolate shake to go.
The clerk responds slowly and says...
Her: Would you like.... chocolate, strawberry... or vanilla?
Now I'm obviously a little startled because I just told her what I wanted. But hey, it's loud, maybe she didn't hear me properly. I'll tell her again.
Me: I'd like a large chocolate shake to go.
The clerk responds in the slack-jawed manner we've all become accustomed to...
Her: What size would you like?
Ok, dammit. Now this time she heard me and she's just being stupid. I refuse to play her stupid little game and so dammit I'm going to repeat my order.
Me: I'd like a large chocolate shake to go.
and ladies and gentlemen, I SHIT YOU NOT but the clerk .... without a hint of sarcasm... merely armed with the mind-numbing stupidity that comes with a fast food job said to me:
Her: Will that be for here?
GAH!!!!
ME: I WANT A LARGE CHOCOLATE SHAKE TO GO!!!
That day the concept of the Large Chocolate Shake To Go person was formed. It is a label applied to someone so epically stupid or mentally vacant either by choice or as a defense mechanism against a soul-crushing job that they cannot understand the simple request for a Large Chocolate Shake To Go.