This Man Needs To Wo-Man Up

Fast Food, Restaurant | Working | January 28, 2013

(I am a rather small and skinny girl, but I am stronger than I look and basically fearless. One day in the middle of a bad summer heatwave, a customer comes in dressed in all black wearing a ski mask.)

Manager: *whispers to my coworker and me* “Keep him busy! I’m calling the cops.”

(Instead of helping, my coworker panics and ducks behind the counter. However, I act normal and greet the suspicious customer.)

Me: “Good afternoon, sir! How can we help you today?”

Customer: “Uh, yeah… could I get sixteen cheeseburgers and four large drinks to go, please?”

Me: “Yes, sir. Would you be interested in trying one of our new smoothies today? Right now, they are half off.”

Customer: “Actually, that sounds pretty good. What flavors do you have?”

(I proceed to keep the guy busy for a few minutes but can’t find more ways to stall him. He ends up paying for his food and leaving without incident.)

Manager: “The cops are on their way. Where did he go?”

Me: “Uh… he paid for his food and left?”

Coworker: “That was awful! I thought for sure he was going to attack us!”

Me: “Nah. If he tried to do anything, I would have jumped him.”

Coworker: “Yeah, right! A timid, weak little girl like you? Only a big, strong guy like me could be a hero!”

Manager: “Hey! That timid weak little girl stayed calm and did her job while the big, strong, idiot cowered behind the counter. And just an FYI: she can kick your a** without breaking a sweat, so watch your mouth!”

(Fortunately, my coworker never said anything stupid like that again and we get along very well now.)

This story is part of our Heatwave roundup!