I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Today was the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

Tomorrow is actually Labor Day.

It will be quiet night for us Monday.

As of right now, we have about half the covers scheduled for tomorrow that we did last Monday.

Still a respectful night, but much quieter than it’s been since mid-May.

It’s also going to rain all day tomorrow, and this will cause people who will only eat outside to stay away.

None of us are sad about this fact.

Tomorrow will be quiet.

We are looking forward to it.

As a thank you today, we fed the team tonight. We also let them drink.

Everyone was done and off the clock and Chef put out a spread of steak, salad, empanadas.

All delicious.

The team gathered around the bar and decompressed.

They might not even be aware of their expressions but as I looked around the room, I could see the sigh of relief from everyone that Labor Day was finally here.

We have the final 4 week count till October 10, when we start closing on Mondays again.

We made it. All in one piece. For the most part.

Mostly unscathed.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

I’m at the host stand around 8:00.

A server appears and says, may I call? (I’ll write about this term sometime).

I say of course.

She says, do you have time for a little story.

I say yes, and she begins.

She says that table 13 has been great and they’ve had a good time tonight.

They have finished and she swings by to drop the check.

She’s back few minutes later and picks up the check presenter, which has cash in it.

She says that she’ll be right back with their change.

The man at seat #1 tells her to keep the change that she’s been great. She deserves the extra because she’s been so wonderful.

It’s more than $100 on a $250 dollar check.

She explains that she said she was very appreciative, that It’s always nice to have her service recognized (she’s very good), and that she can truly use it.

She leaves the table and goes about her business.

Except a few minutes later the man at seat #1 calls her over and asks where his change is.

She’s confused and says as much.

He responds, oh I was just joking about keeping the change. It was a joke. I had no intention of leaving that much.

She stammers and stutters and says okay and goes and gets him his change.

She says, can you believe that someone would do that?

I can’t imagine how she felt in the moment. Embarrassed, like she was asking for money. Angry that anyone would think this is funny.

The worst part, is that she knew his friends who were seated in seats #3 and #4. She used to work with their daughter.

The part she doesn’t know is that they sat for three hours and caused her to miss a turn on the table.

She finishes the story.

We go on…

…

…

…

About 9:15, I’m in the kitchen doing something, when someone comes to find me saying there is a woman at the host stand looking for me.

Uh. Oh. I’m about to get yelled at for the third time tonight.

I enter the lobby, introduce myself to the lady and she says,

Hi. I don’t know if she told you, but we were seated at table 13

I think, ah. Table 13.

She then proceeds to tell me that his friend played a very rude joke on the server.

I say yes, I heard.

She shows me that she has money in her hand and asks if it would be okay to see their server.

I find the server and say, table 13 is back and would like to see you.

The server says, no fucking way. I have nothing to say to them that won’t get me fired.

I assure her she needs to go to the lobby, and she does.

The server finds me later and says that the woman was apologetic. Mortified was the word she used.

The server asked if the man knew how embarrassing and awful that was, and the woman replied, he does now.

Seems they left the restaurant, drove to an ATM, took out the money that the server had returned to the man, and brought it back to her.

It was the mother of the person she had worked with.

She apologizes a million times, then leaves.

It’s was very kind of them to do the right thing, but seriously, who would think that’s funny????

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

I got a call from a person I know from the restaurant yesterday. I knew it was her when I picked up the phone from caller ID. We exchanged greetings and she asked if I had a table available tonight for 8.

It just so happened that I did have a table. It was not outside, but yes, I could get them in.

She is so appreciative and then says, we have a surprise for you.

I ask what it is, and she says I’ll have to wait till they come in, but that it was her husband’s idea. He saw the gift and knew they had to get it for me, based solely on the last conversation we had.

I thank her, and tell her that she does not need to do that, but I do appreciate it.

We hang up and I truly have no idea what it could be.

Fast forward to 5:00. I’m on the door and they come in and we all hug.

She has a paper bag in her hand, and says we have a surprise for you.

She asks again is I have any idea what it is. I assure her that I do not.

She hands me the bag saying, we remember you mentioning the last time that you were in, that you and Adam go to Boston to see shows. The present was a silent auction for a fundraiser for our daughter’s school. My husband saw it and said we have to get this for Jeff and Adam.

I open the bag and it’s filled with stuff. A coffee cup, magnets, snacks and a voucher.

A voucher for 2 tickets to Kinky Boots and North Shore Music Theater.

And the best part was that they made sure the tickets were on a Tuesday before they bid because they know I’m only off on Tuesdays.

It was so kind of them.

I was almost moved to tears.

The backstory is their first time at the restaurant was about 3 minutes after I started. They called, I answered, I get them and their three girls in for dinner.

This happened a few more times over the summer and last fall and winner.

We have become friendly and about six weeks ago; they showed up without a reservation on their anniversary. I was able to get them a great table and I still had hosts at that time, so I was able to bring them over Prosecco and dessert after their meal. We got to visit a while and we shared stories about our lives.

I don’t remember talking of theater, but I must have. Because they are now standing in front of me with tickets to a show we have never seen at a theater we’ve never been two, two hours from our house.

Adam couldn’t believe it when I told him.

We both get the occasional gift at work, but this was better than even money, because someone took time and effort to think about something that we would both enjoy.

It was truly was special.