It’s Official: You’re A Jerk

I’m waiting in line at a popular fast food restaurant when a man comes flying up to the counter and slams a burger container down beside the register, crushing it as he does so.

Angry Customer: “I said no pickles!” 

Employee: *Understandably startled* “I’m sorry?” 

Angry Customer: “You put a pickle on my burger when I said no pickles!”

He angrily jabs the crushed burger box with his finger as he speaks.

Employee: “I’m so sorry. We’ll make you another right away. What did you want on it?”

I think it is smart of her to ask since he may have had other specific requests, and this man’s blood pressure won’t survive another undesired ingredient.

Angry Customer: “No pickles! How hard is that?! Go get your boss!”

He is acting and moving in a physically intimidating and aggressive way as he speaks. I step in. I’m not a confrontational person, but I feel awful for the employees.

Me: “Why? Do you need to show even more people that you’re irrationally angry?”

The angry customer turns and steps toward me.

Angry Customer: “What did you say?”

Me: “You’ve already proven it to all of us.”

I gesture to the line of customers, including myself.

Me: “Or maybe you want the manager to write up a complaint on paper, making your irrational anger totally official?”

Unfortunately, the man didn’t stop being a jerk. He yelled at me and the employees some more, then the manager. But he did, at the very least, stop moving as if he were about to hit someone. Instead of eating there, as I planned to, I actually left with my hands shaking nervously.