I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

I’ve been back down south for over a year now. 

And I’ve reconnected with lots of people who used to come to my restaurant.

But, every once in a while I think to myself I wonder if this person, or that couple still comes to our little town.

For example there is the couple I met one winter, who became regulars, who were staying in the hotel.  They were there because he’d just gotten out of the hospital after recovering from a heart attack.  He was 53.  His doctor told him to change his ways or else.  So they’d leave the kids at home and he and his wife would come visit.  He’d eat salmon, and drink iced tea.  And try to be healthy. 

There was the older couple who used to own a group of liquor and wine stores in Massachusetts.   They came all year.  One day, they show up with a bottle of really, really expensive bubbles and give it to me.  I thanked them and asked why they were giving it to me.  They said because the last time they had dined with us, I’d told them that we were having a wedding.  They thought that Adam and I had gotten married.  We had a big laugh when I explained that the restaurant was hosting a wedding, and that Adam has yet to say yes. 

There is also the couple that I met one night after the man sat at our bar for four hours insisting that his date was going to show up.  He had dinner.  And a few drinks.  And a few more drinks.  His date, who was his wife, showed up right before closing.  He introduced me and I ended up getting them dinner reservation for the next night at a sister property.  They continued to come back and shared later that they had conceived their daughter that night.  Turns out they’d had a big fight and eaten dinner separately.  I have not seen them since I started my new job. 

And there was the family who would come in three or four times a summer.  A mom, a dad and three boys.  The whole family was beautiful. The couple was mixed race.  And their sons were perfect.     Remarkably attractive.  Straight out of a magazine.

And what would you know that I looked up at the door tonight and the wife was standing in front of me.  And I might have fangirled out over it and I’m 99% sure that I made her uncomfortable. 

But I told her that since I’d been back in town there were people I wondered about occasionally and it was finally nice to see them again.  Her sons were no longer boys.   They were young men.  At least one of them was old enough to drink now.  (We hope).  And my two hosts were in love.  They were model, beautiful.   Seriously, any of the three could be on a runway. 

It was so great to see the whole family.    

They were so nice and I hope they had a good time. 

And I’m sure I made them uncomfortable. 

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

My day was the same as it always is.

Got up, showered, out the door in 13.5 minutes. 

Ignoring the cat throw up by the back door hoping that Adam wouldn’t be mad that I didn’t clean it up.   

Get in my car, and drive to work. 

I call Adam before I pull out of the driveway most days, so that I can be hands-free.

Most days we chat for about 3 minutes, because he is busy, busy, busy.

Today was the same.

I then turn on the radio, and the first thing I hear is the DJ saying, sometimes, I take my dog into restaurants and say he’s a service animal.  Don’t beat be up, it’s my first day here and I don’t want to cause any trouble.

And I think to myself…what a fucked up world… 

Seriously?  You make it worse for the people who actually have and more importantly NEED service animals. 

And at 4:56 today, I hear a call on my radio to come to the patio.  I get there and what would you know a woman is standing in the parking lot not looking happy because she has been told we don’t allow dogs. 

However, she insists that she called and we told her that of course we are dog friendly.

We are not. 

Thankfully it was cool enough by 5:00 that they could leave the dog in the car and still enjoy dinner.

But don’t do that people. 

Don’t.

Don’t put your dog in your purse.  Don’t bring it in a carrier.  Don’t tell me your therapy dog is a support animal.  Because while I respect the need for both, they are not the same.

And please for the love of all things holy don’t tell people you do this on the radio. 

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Two things happened of tonight that are worth mentioning.

First.

A woman walked in with a cup of wine in her hand.

I ask her if I could take that, and without a thought handed it to me and said, I was just looking for a trash can.  She said the rubbish actually. 

And what would you know?  She was seated.  Had a marvelous dinner with her 16 family members and couldn’t thank me enough for the event.

See.  It’s not hard to do the right thing.

Meanwhile, at 6:45 tonight our parking lot was full.  It has been a problem all summer.  We have more staff and they take up more spots. 

AND.

We have more guests and they take up more spots. 

Although, it wouldn’t be a problem at all if each person dining in my restaurant didn’t come in their own individual car.  I’ve watched families, who live together come in separate cars.  There is a family who lives about .000001 miles from my restaurant and they drive.  EVERY SINGLE TIME. 

So tonight at 6:45 I’m in the restaurant and I see a car parked illegally. 

Now, full disclosure.  He’s parked illegally where cars park every day.   

BUT:

He’s parked horizontally (I’ve used this word in two posts tonight) taking up three spots.  Yes the AUDI he is driving is nice but not when it’s sitting next to the Bentley’s, Lamborghinis, and Maserati’s that are often in our parking lot. 

I catch the driver as he is looking for his companions who are each in their own cars. 

I walk up to him and say, hey, do you mind parking horizontally so more cars can fit in that area.

And he snaps at me and says, YOU KNOW THERE IS NO PARKING OUT HERE.  YOU NEED MORE PARKING NOW!!!

Seriously?

I look at him and think what would you like me to do?  Pull some out of my ass.  Instead I say thin air.

And he says yeah, do you have a fucking magic want. 

I can’t already.

He goes to move the car.  I go inside. 

I realize as I go inside, I actually know him.  He and his three friends come in all the time in the winter.  I did not recognize him with his sunglasses. 

When I see him sitting at the chef’s table and realize who he is, I check the reservation to make sure then go back to find him.

He isn’t there but I see him in the parking lot.

He was looking for me to apologize for being such a dick.  I told him appreciated that, and that I was sorry I was short with him.

We chatted for a few minutes and then he went back in to dinner.  I spoke to the table before they got their entrees and he sought me out again when they were leaving. 

He was very nice and I told him we’d laugh about it this winter when there were more empty parking spots than people in the building. 

He agreed.

It was nice change of pace to say the least. 

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!!

Hi all!!!

Thanks for all the insight into the ID question. 

The points of view were quite interesting.

First, the kid did drink in my establishment last night.  He had a Moscow Mule.  (Who knew a 19 year old even knew what that was).  He showed the server the ID.  And how do I know this?  Because I spoke to my staff about this at pre-shift today and his server from last night knew exactly how old he was. 

Second, it was not someone else’s ID.  Both ID’s had his name on them.  The real ID had his photo from when he was probably 15 and got the ID.  The fake ID was taken more recently, and was definitely him.  Two different birthdays though. 

It was a California ID and in CA, when the person is under 21 the ID is vertical.  When you renew you get a horizontal ID.  He had one of each. 

As for looking in his wallet:   It was not a wallet like mine, which is a George Constanza wallet. It had a couple of credit cards an ID and a fake ID. 

As for whether or not I remove it is stealing, I don’t know.  I’m not a police officer nor am I a lawyer.  I have friends who are both who read this, perhaps they’d like to weigh in.

Last night on my way home, I had decided to return it.  18 year old Jeff, getting in to bars at Eastern Kentucky University, appreciated the ID he purchased in NYC back in 1902. 

Many of you support my stance.

I did know that I wanted to read your responses before I made a final decision.

I got to work today and checked voicemails.  While I was checking the voicemails, he called.  I didn’t answer not to be difficult but as a practice I don’t answer any calls until I record the messages and sit down with coffee for the day at the chef’s table.

After I sat down, I pulled out my phone and read your responses.   

Two things stood out.

One of my friends said that 18 year old her would have been grateful, but the 44 year old her with a teenage son, thought differently.

This coupled with a post I read from another friend who said that two teenagers, who attended her son’s school, had been killed by  drunk drivers this week and my decision was made.

The kid is rich. 

He won’t have trouble getting another ID.  He was underage drinking last night with his mom present, so she’s not really the adult in the situation.

If I can stop him from killing someone for the next month while he waits for his new ID to come then so be it.

And if it is against the law, then I guess I’ll take my punishment.

Meanwhile, he never called back.  The ID is in my office.  His wallet is at the host stand waiting.