An alternate ending to “The Styrofoam Birthday Cake”:
The Kalavaris family, outraged and offended — DEVASTATED, you might say — that Sam’s Club ruined their birthday celebration by selling them a cake that, if taken internally, could cause great bodily harm, threatens legal action.
The Sam’s Club manager, fearing liability, climbs into the bunker, denying responsibility and suggesting that perhaps the Kalavaris family faked the whole thing.
But readers liked the real ending much better. Some, in fact, gave it a standing ovation.
As I wrote Thursday in my ink-on-paper column, the incident proceeded entirely without rancor.
The Kalavaris family, concluding that it was an honest mistake, and not an attempt on their lives via Styrofoam poisoning, got a good laugh out of it.
Likewise, the Sam’s Club manager was embarrassed, apologetic and eager to offer compensation — in the form of a refund, a free cake and a $100 gift card to the store.
Acting on behalf of the family, Jim Kalavaris graciously accepted the apology, the refund and the free cake — and gave the gift card to a local charity.
“Refreshing!,” said Marilyn Parr of Lansing, echoing the sentiments of many others. “It’s refreshing that the family’s first response was not to file a lawsuit, but to laugh, understand, forgive and pass the monetary gain along to those less fortunate.”
