Revenge Is A Dish Best Served With All The Colors

I work in a fast-food place in a pretty white neighborhood. I’m the only person of color (Asian) and I have long hair. A regular customer likes to pick on me with snide remarks and micro-aggressions with racial undertones. It’s nothing I haven’t experienced my whole life, but it seems my indifference to his special attention is getting under his skin.

After being served he comes back with a complaint.

Customer: “Get me your manager! My sandwich had a long black hair in it!”

I get the manager and they discuss the situation, both staring back at me multiple times. The manager finally gives the man a refund and a replacement sandwich.

Manager: “You need to be more careful with your hair.”

Me: “I’m not the only one here with long black hair.”

Manager: “I don’t care. I had to refund him and give him a replacement sandwich.”

Me: “Did he show you his sandwich with the hair in it?”

Manager: “…no.”

Me: “Interesting.”

A few days later, the same regular comes in. Lo and behold, he returns a few minutes after ordering with the same complaint and pointing at me. Same deal, refund, and replacement.

Manager: “I thought I told you to tie your hair back.”

Me: “I’m literally wearing a hat over it right now.”

Manager: “Enough! I don’t want to hear it. Sort it now!”

Tired of this, I decide I am going to do something about it.

A few days later I am wearing my hat, extra tight to make sure absolutely nothing comes out. Same regular, same order, same complaint. This time both of them come storming up to me.

Manager: “[My Name]! This is the third time this has happened! This customer is beginning to suspect you’re doing it on purpose, and I am inclined to believe him!”

Me: To the customer. “You found a long dark hair in your sandwich again, sir?”

Customer: “Yes I did, and I know it was you!”

Me: “May I see the hair, sir?”

Customer: “You may not! I am the customer! Know your place, girl! In this country, the customer is always right!”

Me: “So you found a long black hair in your sandwich, today, and you think I did it?”

Manager: “Yes he did, and it’s looking suspicious [My Name].”

Me: “That’s very odd, you see…”

I take off my hat to reveal my brand-new hairstyle. It is a kaleidoscope of colors! Reds, blues, and greens, all fading into each other like a rainbow. My cousin is a hairstylist and specializes in Asian customers who want to color their hair, so I told her to go nuts! Sky’s the limit! It took ages, but it was free and fun!

Me: “…I don’t have black hair at the moment. If you could show me a hair that has all these colors then I’ll apologize, but if it’s just dark it has to belong to someone else.”

The manager and customer are both initially silenced by my hair and statement. The manager finally turns to the customer.

Manager: “You did say it was a dark hair, sir, so I’m afraid it can’t be my employee.”

The customer harrumphs and storms out. I eventually quit that place when I realized my manager wasn’t going to apologize and indicated he shared some of the outdated views as my customer/accuser.