Sunday, January 23, 2011

Get Your Own Damn Coat, Lazy Lady

Last night at work was exceptionally busy. The show had about 102 people in the audience meaning all 102 of them were sat at the same time and each needed two drinks within the course of a 70 minute show. It may sound easy, but it's not. And then when the show was over, we had thirty minutes to get all of them out, turn the room over and get ready for the next show that had about 45 people in the audience. Needless to say, that thirty minutes between the two shows is a total shit show. Every man for himself. Pay your check, get out. We have a complimentary coat check downstairs for the benefit of our guests. It is downstairs though so in order to take advantage of it, people have to, you know, use the stairs. They are the same stairs that I go up and down all night with racks of glasses, buckets of ice and plates of food. However, some people act like we just told them that if they want to check their coat, they have to take an express bus to the Bronx and then walk from the Bronx to Egypt and then from Egypt they have to fly to the moon and back. It's one flight of stairs, people. It's next to the bathroom, so just kill two birds with one stone while you're down there and take a dump too. It's not that hard.

So during our turnover time, we were all running around trying to bus tables when this lady approached a fellow server and handed her the claim check for her coat. "Excuse me, but will you run downstairs and get my coat for me? Thanks. I think that's my ticket. I found it on the floor. My coat is black." Hey lady, it's New York City. Everyone's coat is black. This server was standing at her computer closing out her checks so she handed the claim check to the busser. "Can you go downstairs and get this lady's coat for her? Thanks. It's black. " The busser took the ticket even though he was holding rack of glasses. This busser is very sweet. Young, quiet, eager to please and kinda shy. I intervened.
"Nick, you don't have to do that. You're busy. Give the ticket back to the lady."
"Oh, it's alright, I was going downstairs anyway," he said.
"You're busy and that is not your job. Let me give the ticket back to her. I love to tell people things like this."
"No, it's okay... I guess I have time...uh...it's okay..."
I could tell he didn't want to do it, he just didn't know how to say "no." I know how to say "no." I took the ticket from his hand and said, "You finish what you were doing, I'll take care of this."
I went up to the lady to make sure she was not old or infirm. Had the lady been feeble and weak, sure. On crutches, yes. With a walker, absolutely. She was none of those things. The only ailment that was apparent was that she had a serious case of bitch face which does not affect one's ability to walk down stairs. She was chatting with a group of people and it was clear that she just didn't want to bother herself. Plus, if she went down to the coatroom herself, she may have felt obligated to to leave a tip and you know she didn't want to do that. I tapped her on the shoulder. "Hi, is this your claim ticket? Yes? None of us have time to go down and get your coat for you so you'll have to do it yourself." I pressed the ticket into her palm and smiled. I wasn't bitchy. I really wasn't. It was just the truth. And you know what she said? "Oh, okay." And miracle of miracles she managed to walk down that flight of stairs all by herself and get her own coat. She didn't collapse or melt or pass out or faint or die or break out into hives or anything. She simply got her own coat, just like the other 101 people did. Maybe she learned a lesson. I doubt it, but maybe. Maybe she learned that she is a a competent human being who can set goals for herself and then achieve them. Why tonight could be just the beginning for her. Perhaps she will now be able to open the door at the bank for herself instead of expecting other people to do it for her and then not say thank you. Or maybe she will realize that she can open her own tea bag when she orders hot tea. Maybe even some day she will learn how to wipe her own ass instead of letting her poor put-upon husband or maid do it. (I'm not sure that she doesn't wipe her own booty, but she seems like the type.) I'd like to think that I set this woman on a journey of self-exploration and independence last night. Lady, if you're reading this, you're welcome. And fuck off.




Click here to follow The Bitchy Waiter on Twitter.
Click here to find The Bitchy Waiter on Facebook.

13 comments:

My name WAS Female, I shit you not! said...

My old tired eyes couldn't read you today and I'm sure I mssed a good post. :0(

Travelin' Mike said...

That was really good! I love that fact that you are not afraid to say no!! People like that need to hear it!! Good post!

BB said...

Good for you! Your female server needs a lesson on how to say no also!

Anonymous said...

on behalf of bussers everywhere who put up with a lot of crap, id like to thank you. we're usually just as busy as everyone else!

Noelle said...

Good job I would have done the same thing. Good bus people are so nice and so used to being bossed around. Kind of amazing.

SkippyMom said...

For someone that is elderly, infirm [regardless of sex] absolutely without a hint of a tip - you treat the elderly well as I was taught.

For this woman - hell to the NO!

Nice job saying no - I would've done the same.

Strawberry said...

At least she didn't complain when you asked her to do it herself.

that guy said...

i just channeled that bitch. she doesn't wipe, she has a bidet.

great post as usual

Bruce
bruce johnson jadip
evilbruce
stupid stuff i see and hear
Bruce’s guy book
the guy book
Dreamodel Guy
dreamodeling!

Mary A. said...

You have to walk up & down stairs all nite???

I bet your legs are awesome.

I didn't mean that as cougarish as it sounded.

Winston said...

I've taken that express bus to the Bronx, walked on to Egypt, and caught a round-trip flight to the Moon, but I wasn't claiming my coat-- I was in Love!

Little redhead said...

Good for you indeed, she should learn servers are not your personal assistants. And real nice of you to help that poor guy who couldnt say no out, he'll learn eventually if he keeps serving!

YB said...

Thank you for putting a spoiled customer in her place. And thank you for looking out for the better good of the rookie. Not many people will do that!

J.J. said...

Your entire first paragraph is my favorite thing this week - I laughed out loud!