No More

This past week I've had to deal with a few bad eggs at work. Misbehaving people who have the audacity to argue with me. The man who refused to put on his shoes in the cafe. The sleeping (snoring) woman in the cafe. They guy laying on the floor with magazines and food spread out around him. They either demand an explanation as to why their behavior is not allowed (while continuing to lay on the floor, or sit with their shoes off) or either deny they are sleeping or complain that I was rude (to wake them I suppose).

Tonight was a topper. A simple confrontation. A well dressed man was sleeping in the store. I woke him by asking him if he was OK. He said yes and I told him, "You can't sleep in the store," and walked away.

Ten minutes later I get a page for the manager. It was him and his friend waiting at the front of the store. He was disappointed to see I was the manager on duty. He wanted my name and my bosses name, which I gave him.

"I'm going to see that you get fired," he said.

He went on to complain that I had been rude. I apologized. He said it was my tone and asked his friend if my tone had been rude. His friend reluctantly agreed with him. Meanwhile I was seething. This big jerk had just threatened me. Get me fired?! My face was tingling with blood pressure like Jiffy Pop, but I held my tongue. He asked if I was going to apologize. I told him I already had, turned, and walked away.

I should have told him to leave and never come back. That's not really Borders policy. Our policy is to take it up the ass and say, "Thank you sir! May I have another?" But I'm too old to take this shit. No more.