Let Bygones Be Gone

(This takes place a week after the last day for a former manager who used to work at my restaurant. Note: this manager has always been nasty with me. I’m in the back working, but clearly visible from the counter.)

Former Manager: “I’d like a number 12 combo with extra pickles and sauce. So help me if there are no pickles!”

(I make the order for my former manager, making sure to get it right. He gets his food and leaves to sit at a table. However, a minute later, he’s back.)

Former Manager: “Who made this? Was it [my name]? This is unacceptable. I asked for extra pickles and what’s this?”

(The former manager literally THROWS the sandwich onto the counter, making it fly everywhere. From this point on, he stares at me the whole time, not even glancing at who he’s actually talking to.)

Former Manager: “Where are the d*** pickles? There weren’t any at all! This is bloody unacceptable!”

Coworker: “Really, [former manager]?”

Former Manager: “Where is [assistant manager]? I demand to talk to him. Someone’s going to get fired over this!”

(The assistant manager, who has now been promoted to franchise manager, comes out from behind a rack and cuts the former manager off mid-rant.)

Franchise Manager: “Hi, [former manager]. What seems to be the problem?”

Former Manager: “[My name] messed up my order. I asked for extra pickles and sauce and instead got no pickles at all. I knew she was incompetent the whole time she worked here. Should have fired her when I had the chance. She’s no good man! She needs to go! I can’t believe they promoted her.”

Franchise Manager: “Okay, stop. First of all, she’s a great worker; she’s one of the best we’ve had. Which you’d know if you spent less time making her life difficult. Second, I am certain she got your order right down to a letter. Thirdly, I was watching you take out the pickles yourself. And you know we do not allow customers to behave this way and abuse employees. Now, as franchise manager—”

(The former manager’s face drops suddenly as he hears this.)

Franchise Manager: “As franchise manager, I have the authority to refuse you service completely. Goodbye, [former manager]. Please don’t come back.”

(After my former manager leaves, my franchise manager turns to me.)

Franchise Manager: “That felt good. I don’t know why you turned this down!”

(And that was the day I saw the former manager get banned from the very store he once used to run. We’ve heard no word of him since and he never came back.)