A Hot Slice Of Justice, Part 9

I work at a pizza vendor in a Canadian airport. All we sell is eight types of pizza. Our ovens are very hot, so it only takes us eight minutes to cook a pizza. When a person places their order, we ring them up, they pay, and we tell them their order number, which is also printed on their receipt. We call out the order number when it’s ready.

Being an airport, people naturally have flights to catch, so very few wander far away from our seating area, especially since we tell them their order will be ready in under ten minutes.

A man comes up and orders a plain cheese pizza. He pays, and I tell him his order number is number seventy-two and that it will be ready in eight minutes.

Over the next eight minutes, my coworker and I prepare orders and call out the order numbers that are ready. If there is a pizza still sitting on the counter, we will call out the new order number and then the order number(s) of any unclaimed pizzas. We go through orders sixty-eight to seventy-one, which are all claimed.

We get to this man’s pizza

Me: “Order number seventy-two is ready!”

No one comes up to pick it up, but being busy, we don’t pay too much attention. Some people make a quick run to the restroom or are listening to music on their phone or something.

A minute later, the next order is ready.

Me: “Order number seventy-three is ready! Order number seventy-two is ready!”

A lady comes up, and takes order seventy-three, but order seventy-two remains untouched.

This goes on for over fifteen minutes, with several orders after him being called out and picked up. This man’s order number has been called out at least ten times.

Finally, we get to order number eighty-one.

Me: “Order number eighty-one is ready! Order number seventy-two is ready!”

A man comes up and picks up order eighty-one, and a few seconds later, the man who ordered seventy-two finally comes up and claims his pizza. He is not happy once he opens it up.

Keep in mind that airport security has a low tolerance for rude behavior and even less for threatening behavior, which can get you evicted from the airport, causing you to miss your flight, or at worst, even be arrested.

Customer: “Hey, my f****** pizza is cold!”

Me: “No need to swear at me, sir. Your pizza was ready fifteen minutes ago, and we’ve called your number out several times. I’ll be glad to reheat it for you. It will only take about thirty seconds to heat it up.”

Customer: *Very angrily* “No way. You will cook me a fresh pizza, and you will refund my money! I didn’t pay you to give me a d*** cold pizza and keep me waiting like this! I have a flight to catch!”

Me: “Sir, there is no need to shout or swear at me. Everyone here has a flight to catch. As I told you, your pizza was ready fifteen minutes ago, and we called out your order number several times, but you didn’t respond.”

Customer: “Bulls***! You just let my pizza sit there and get cold. I demand you cook me a fresh one and refund my money, or I’m going to come back there and f****** mess you all up! Fix this right now, or else!”

Once he makes this threat, my coworker contacts airport security, who arrives about three or four minutes later. Meanwhile, his tirade continues.

Me: “Sir, I am sure you are aware of airport rules regarding threatening behavior, and I will not tolerate being spoken to this way. I will reheat your pizza, and that’s the extent of what I’m willing to do.”

Customer: “No way!” *In a very angry, threatening tone* I… want… a… refund! And furthermore, I want a new—”

Me: *Interrupting him* “Sir! Stop this nonsense! I am not issuing you a refund, nor will I make you a fresh pizza. I told you already we called out your order number repeatedly over a fifteen-minute period and you didn’t respond. I am willing to reheat your pizza for you, no problem. But your behavior is against airport rules and can get you in serious trouble. So, I’ll advise you to calm down and take your pizza.”

Customer: “Utter f****** nonsense! I don’t see no d*** police badge on your chest, so don’t lecture me on the law! You never f****** called out my numbers; you just let my pizza sit there and get cold. This is—”

Me: *Interrupting him* “Stop it right there, sir! I am done with your abuse.”

I see security approaching behind him.

Me: “Those men coming over will handle this matter now.”

Security Man #1: “Sir, please calm down.” *To me* “What’s going on here?”

Customer: “I’ll tell you what going on here! This b**** of a woman—”

Security Man #1: *Interrupting* “Sir, please be quiet. I was addressing the employee, not you. Please allow her to answer.”

Meanwhile, the second security officer has stationed himself next to the man, ready to cuff him or whatever, should it become necessary.

Me: *To [Security Man #1]* “This gentleman is upset because his pizza — which we called out as being ready over fifteen minutes ago — naturally got cold. I offered to reheat it for him, but he immediately became belligerent and threatening to us.”

Customer: “That’s bulls***! I did no such thing. She’s trying to cover for her ineptness!”

Me: “My coworker and I called out his order number eight or ten times, and he never responded. He must’ve left the area or something.”

Customer: “Bulls***!”

Security Man #2: “Sir, I am not talking to you. Please be quiet. And now I will ask you once and once only, place your hands behind your back. You are under arrest for threatening behavior in an airport.”

Customer: *Attempting to push him away* “No! She’s lying and I will not be cuffed! I have a flight to catch in forty minutes. They are already boarding! You f****** need to let me go now!“

Security Man #2: “I’m afraid you won’t be making that flight. Place your hands behind you right now! I’m done arguing with you!”

The man continued to argue, swear, and fight with them. The two security men finally got him cuffed and took him away. He was arrested and fined. He was also banned from entering or flying out of all the airports in Canada for life.

All for a cold pizza he was late in picking up.

Related:
A Hot Slice Of Justice, Part 8
A Hot Slice Of Justice, Part 7
A Hot Slice Of Justice, Part 6
A Hot Slice Of Justice, Part 5
A Hot Slice Of Justice, Part 4