A few days ago I had a doctor's appointment (nothing wrong, but thank you for asking), and then I stopped by one of my neighborhood restaurants for a sandwich.
A man, woman, and young boy were sitting in the booth across from me. I wasn't paying much attention to them because as I waited for my food, I was reading Bill The Vampire by our friend Rick Gualtieri of The Poptart Manifesto.
The server returned to the kitchen, and suddenly the man's voice became louder and louder and then out of the corner of my eye, I saw him use his arm to sweep all the food and drinks off the table. I got splattered, but it wasn't anything serious.
The man arose, followed quickly by the woman and little boy, demanded his bill (strangely enough), and then left immediately. I think the cook, a rather burly fellow, told him to just get out. Then I heard the cook call the police.
My server came back to check on me, and I asked her what was wrong. She said she had no idea -- that the man had eaten there before and had always been very polite, but on this day, he'd been rude from the minute he walked in the door.
I got out my money to pay my bill and was told to forget it -- having Sprite tossed at me earned me a free lunch.
I felt sorry for the woman and the little boy, and concerned for their safety.
I've seen people complain in restaurants -- the service is poor or the food isn't what they ordered -- but I've never seen anyone have a restaurant tantrum.
What about you? Have you seen anyone act that badly in public?
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
P.S. Bill the Vampire is safe. He didn't get hit with the drink.
Hi Janie .. absolutely not - and does sound a worrying development .... like you I hope the lady and her son will be alright. That chap sounds unreasonable and out of control ..
ReplyDeleteNot an easy situation ... sounds like the restaurant has its head on ... and looks after its customers .. cheers Hilary
The people who work at the restaurant are very nice. They are always so kind to me.
DeleteNo, I haven't, and I don't want to, either. That man sounds like one of those "mild-mannered" guys who suddenly goes berserk and whips out a machete. (Not gonna say "gun"... that's all too familiar and scary these days.) Glad you weren't hurt. And, hey! At least you got free food. And fodder for your blog. Like you, I'm concerned for his wife and son, though.
ReplyDeleteI shamelessly seek blog stories. My life is pretty quiet.
DeleteMe! I stopped off at the local Waffle House late one night alone. I ordered a hamburger steak and started reading my book. The cook was out back smoking or jacking off in the bathroom or something and the waitress was alone. There were two men on the other end of the restaurant and me. This was before the condiments were placed on the tables as a fixture and she forgot to ask, or bring any steak-sauce. She was at the other end talking to the two men, so I walked over to the counter and picked up a bottle. She looked up and said, "I would have got that for you." Then lower, for the benefit of the two men, "Asshole!" I walked back to my table and picked up my plate and threw it at her and told her, "That is what an asshole would do." The two men started to get up but I told them it was none of their business and not worth dying over. They set back down. And it was over a year before I went back in that store again. Then only after one of my regular waitresses told me she got fired after a phone call to complain about her was filed. I didn't tell her it was me that made the call.
ReplyDeleteShame on you, Coffey. Making a complaint is fine, but I hope you never throw anything again. She may have pissed you off, but what if you had hit her and actually hurt her?
DeleteThen I would be proud of my aim and still him my high school throwing arm. This is not a normal thing for me, but when old man anger arises, I DON'T CARE.
DeleteYou do too care, and you can't convince me that you don't.
DeleteGood that you got a free lunch but bad that you had to witness that event with the man. It does make me feel sorry for his family. I am hopeful it was just a bad day for him and not a norm and I am hopeful he was apolegetic to all, especially his family!
ReplyDeletebetty
Yes, I've been hoping that he returned to apologize.
DeleteFortunately, I have never seen that kind of behavior in public--but it makes me wonder how he acts at home!! Maybe he forgot his meds.
ReplyDeleteThat's a possibility, fishducky.
DeleteI hate jerks like that! When I worked at McDonalds I was the customer service manager because I could handle complaints better than anyone else. I've had a shake poured over my head, a biscuit thrown in my face, a big mac smashed into my shirt along with multiple other things people have thrown or smashed on me. People are stupid! In fact my post on FB today said
ReplyDeleteI wish people would not exorcise their right to be stupid.
It's amazing that people would throw things at you. That's assault! You are one patient person.
DeleteWow! Not a good example for that little boy! I have seen bad behavior, but nothing that extreme!
ReplyDeleteI hope you never see such behavior, then.
DeleteI had a kindergartner punch me in the gut on the playground a few years ago. He thought he was being funny, but I was not amused.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he'd seen cartoons or TV shows with people being punched and then everyone laughed. Kids are exposed to a lot of violence that's treated as humor. That said, I wouldn't have been amused either. I once had a kindergarten vacation Bible school student who hit me. We had a little talk about it.
DeleteI got into a fight with an old Jewish man once when I was working as a desk clerk. He was furious that I wouldn't call the sales rep and tell her he was there to see her. I tried explaining she was with another client at the moment and I would let her know as soon as she was available that he was there to see her. I even offered him free cookies while he waited (not my cookies, actual chocolate chip cookies) He told me I should be fired and then asked me if my finger was broken and demanded I use it to pick up the phone and call her. Little did this gentleman know that the person I worked for allowed each of his employees permission to tell one customer per year to go eff themselves. I held up my middle finger in his face and said, "No, this finger seems to be working just fine. See?"
ReplyDeleteEverybody has bad days but its not cool to take it out on people working in the service industry. (Glad he was drinking Sprite and not hot coffee)
Why would he think you wanted to keep him from seeing someone? If you were, then it would have been because you were instructed to do so. There's no point in being angry with someone who's doing what she's supposed to do.
DeleteThat's crazy! I never understand people that get upset in restaurants. Paying for food does not somehow transform you into royalty. People need to get over themselves!
ReplyDeleteIf customers were more polite then we wouldn't have servers spitting on food -- or worse.
DeleteI was a waitress for a few years in my younger days and saw people do stupid things (like fall asleep with their face in their breakfast platter) and heard them be rude and complain--but I have never seen anyone do anything like that! I would be concerned for the woman and child's safety, too. If he can lose it like that in public, imagine what he might do in private! :(
ReplyDelete