One summer, a few of my friends from college lived in Myrtle Beach. They worked all day laying sod at a golf course. Over the weeks, the novelty of living together wore off, and they started to get on each other’s nerves.

Anyway, they usually went to Hardee’s for lunch each day. Because of their hard work out in the sun, they would get the monster soda cups from there with the company’s Moose mascot on the side. Four of the guys decided to play a prank on the other one and they concocted a plan for their lunch trip one day.

One night the group started talking about a new promotion that they heard was starting at Hardee’s the next day. They convinced the victim that if you said “I’ve got the moose in me” while ordering your meal, you got a free drink or something like that.

So they go to Hardee’s the next day and the others make sure to take their time so he was the first one in the door. The plan worked to perfection.

Guy: I’d like the Double Cheeseburger, large fries and an extra-large Coke. (pause) And I’ve got the moose in me.
Teenage girl: What?
Guy: I said, I’ve got the moose in me.
Teenage girl: (stares blankly)

By this time, the other four guys are almost on the floor laughing, and the victim muttered something, paid quickly and moved along. He then swore the group to secrecy, and they promised to never tell anyone.

Then at the first fraternity meeting of the year, one of them stood up and told all 60 of us the story. The victim then unwillingly got the nickname Moose for his final two years of college.

I bring this up because of a new promotion Chik-Fil-A has going on in Baltimore. As I walked to the counter to say, “I can take the heat,” I couldn’t help but wonder if I was the victim of an elaborate prank. Luckily, I wasn’t.