You There, Get Me a Tissue

OK, I work in the service industry, not the servitude industry.

Yup, I need the job and like it. But there are times when I just want to pull up a chair and see where some people got their entitlement? When last I checked we didn't have royal families in America, and if they behaved like this I'd be appalled and claim to be from Aruba.

The elderly lady sneezed.

I happened to be walking by. Not their server mind you, just an employee on his way out the door.

Without looking at me she says, "you there" with a flick of her finger "get me a tissue".

I didn't break stride, I just walk out. Making sure I was far enough away to chuckle without engaging in a geriatric physical altercation.

My parents taught me to be polite. I've always wanted to be welcomed back to restaurants and bars. I certainly never intend to have bartenders and wait-staff cringe when they see me.

I started bartending some time ago, in those days bartenders were given a modicum of respect. There was a relationship we were trying to develop. Customer wants bartender to like them, so they can come back and be treated well.

Bartender wants to like customers, to make job more enjoyable.

Today it seems people don't give a turd who likes them. Since the motto is "The Customer is Always right." And the general consensus is they have to be served no matter how rude they are.

Just last week I had my "Day of Many Fuck-off's" and yet this customer was going to call the owners. Another bartender was called a c*#t for serving another customer before him. The customer was indignant to the end (his leaving)... he had been wronged! He actually wanted to call the police.

The only excuse for this type of language is Terets.

We do still reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. We've become a very entitled, spoiled bunch.

A little kindness and/or politeness would go a long way to ensuring a long and fruitful relationship between customer and server.

These are just a few thoughts from the trenches.

Oh, and once you start to swear and cuss and engage in belligerence and irrationality: You are no longer a customer.

So a statement that wasn't true to begin with becomes even more falser.