Saturday, September 23, 2006

I'm not always PC

Once I said to a coworker, "Why are you acting like such a selfish bitch?" Okay, maybe I shouted it within earshot of her customers. She burst into tears and ran off the floor. (This is restaurant speak for leaving the public serving area.) Management had to service her tables for a while before she was able to regain her composure.

It was New Year's Eve.

At the end of my shift, the owner wished to speak to me. I was given a warning and told that calling another employee a bitch was grounds for termination. I explained what had led up to my outburst (owner then realized how tame the word bitch was in this situation) and pointed out that I hadn't called her a bitch, I had only questioned why her behaviour resembled that of a bitch.

The owner smiled and even stifled a laugh and tore up the written warning.

Now, I can't even remember the bitch's name.

21 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:17 AM

    Don't you love it when you are right!

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  2. Anonymous8:23 AM

    You are too clever for words!

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  3. If we could win/stop wars with words, I'd send you in right away.

    For sure we'd win or avoid them.

    See the intimidation thing I told you about?!

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  4. Anonymous8:45 AM

    Salut Bébé,

    Belle photo de tes "titates" nous aurions peut-être dus faire les meilleures frites "vintage" au monde !

    A bientôt,
    dan

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  5. I can't imagine you doing that.

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  6. Heh heh heh, that was a good one!

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  7. Bwahahahaha... guess gay men can all be a lil bad :)

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  8. "I hadn't called her a bitch, I had only questioned why her behaviour resembled that of a bitch."

    I love that fine line, and I've used it myself.

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  9. Ah the beauty of parsing language. You should have been a lawyer.

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  10. What behavior did she do that so resembled a bitch?

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  11. heheheh, you got off on verbal technicalities. LOVE it!

    HUGS

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  12. I was once in a fight with a neighborhood girl. The girl's father came over and asked why I had beaten her up. When I told her it was because she said something about my mother, he left to go punish her.

    Niiiice.

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  13. Anonymous1:22 PM

    "Now, I can't even remember the bitch's name"

    What you meant was, "Now, I can't even remember the person's name who was acting like a selfish bitch" there now we feel better. The alleged bitch can't sue for libel. Did you see if there was a Dirk Mancuso listed in the obituaries of the Chicago area papers? I think he might be a victim of date rape.

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  14. You may have to write her obitchuary one day.
    Even when you're having a temper tantrum your sang froid appears impenetrable, shaken perhaps, but not stirred. Very James Bond(but hotter).

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  15. You had a great manager to allow you to explain and to understand.

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  16. You have a career in politics, I know it.

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  17. Anonymous10:31 PM

    Ah the terror of misplaced individuals in hospitality careers! ;-) I came across your blog by chance and really enjoying your style :-) - although this isn't the best place to ask... May I have a conversation with you about teaching English in Montreal please? (if you have any time:-) I have just finished CELTA... and my story is similar to yours in parts... I would love some communication with someone like you before making any moves... Email add: zauraura@yahoo.co.uk Cheers!...:-)

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  18. Anonymous1:01 PM

    Yes, I too want to know what she did.

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  19. donna - don't you think before you leap to judgement about his reaction you should take a second to consider that maybe she was acting like a selfish bitch?

    not just men who encounter people who act like selfish bitches. women do too. that's because, there are people in the world who act like selfish bitches.

    here's the thing, i trust that torn would not have said something like that on the floor of a restaurant to someone, not in jest, if it wasn't well deserved.

    just 'cause i'm a bleedin' heart lefty doesn't mean i have never encountered someone acting bitchy.

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  20. Her name doesn't matter. She's Bitch.

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  21. Awesome. Simply awesome.

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