When Civil Rights And Fast Food Collide

THIS story in the New York Post is so uniquely American. It's about a 290 lb stock broker from New York named Martin Kessman who is suing the White Castle fast food chain under the Americans With Disabilities Act, alleging that his civil rights have been violated because their booths are too small for him to fit into comfortably. (There's a photo of him in the article.)  I think you'd be hard pressed to write a fictional story that packs in so many negative stereotypes about Americans as concisely.

My favorite part of this article details White Castle's response after Kessman wrote them an initial complaint letter in April 2009. "White Castle replied with three 'very condescending letters' -- and an offer that added insult to injury. 'In each letter was a coupon for three free hamburgers -- but the cheese was extra!' according to a lawsuit Kessman filed last week in Manhattan federal court."

The story concludes as follows, "Kessman could have approached a store manager and asked for a regular chair, said White Castle spokeswoman Jamie Richardson."