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The first ticket? Nothing.
The second? $20. Martha’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
The rest were duds. Her initial joy soured into frustration as she realized she wouldn’t be hitting the jackpot.
Logan, unfazed, began eating while narrating for his viewers.
“The duck head is rich and flavorful, tender with a perfect balance of spice and sweetness…”
He went on to praise the portion size and presentation, ending with a polite, “Overall, it’s worth a visit.”
Satisfied, he prepared to leave. That’s when Martha slammed a bill on the table.
“That’ll be $45. You still owe us $25.”
Logan froze. “Wait, what? I thought we agreed on $100 in tickets, no matter what they were worth.”
Martha crossed her arms. “How do I know those tickets weren’t rigged? Who wins $20 off one ticket? You influencers think you’re above everyone else.”
Logan tried to reason with her. “We agreed before I started filming. Plus, I’m giving you free exposure.”
Martha shot back, “Who asked for exposure? That was your idea, not ours. Pay up, or I’m calling the cops!”
Russell added, “Nowadays, anyone can claim to be an influencer. You might be faking it to get free meals.”
Logan realized further arguing was pointless. He handed over the $25 and left.
Later that evening, he edited and posted the video online. Within two days, it had 300,000 likes and sparked a massive backlash.
“All this drama over a plate of BBQ? Seriously?”
“This shop’s been open for years? The patience of their customers must be saintly.”
“Let’s see how bad it really is.”
“Business owners like this ruin small–town reputations!”
“Greedy and shady.”
<
“Oh, I remember this place! They charged someone $50 for two bags. I didn’t realize it was the same shop.”
As the controversy grew, Maynard’s Deli became infamous. Customers stopped coming altogether, and Russell blamed Martha for their
misfortune.
“You’ve ruined us, Mom! I told you not to piss him off!”
“You didn’t stop me! I was just trying to protect the business, and this is the thanks I get?”
Their shouting matches became a daily occurrence, audible even from the street.
