Homeless Man Kicked Out
04.10.06 (2:01 pm) [edit]
This job I am at now is offering many stories for me to post on my blog. In the fast food restaurant I work at there use to be this guy who would be in the place everyday almost from open to close. He would order a cup of coffee a cup of water sit at the back booth in the right corner and read some newpapers. Then in a few hours he would ask for a refill of his coffee. Now I found out that this guy isent exactly homeless. He lives in his van. Anyways the owner of the place I worked at decided that he pretty much didn't want this guy hanging around. So he was told he now had a 15min limit in the store. Of course the guy hasent come back since. Often when this man came in one of my co-workers would make some kind of negative cpmment about him. "he stinks", "he's rude" "he's mean". Only one of these comments is really only even partially true. The guy was nice he never threatend any of us or anything. He would just grab his coffee and take a seat. No customers as far as I am aware ever complained about the small smell or about him being there all the time. We werent losing business because of hi So why was he kicked out? Actually we probably lost a few customers. Some customers have already asked where he was if I had seen him. Some people would come in just to have coffee with this guy. I think part of the reason he was kicked out was just the complaints from the staff. I kinda miss having him around. Oh and he has been kicked out of other fast food places around town as well. So any thoughts on this?
posted by: Bonegnawer (reply)
post date: 04.11.06 (8:40 pm)
As i read your post i remembered a book by Gavin de Becker "gift of fear", where the author says that the listening to your instincts and gut feeling can save you life - its because we sense the "wrongess" of somebody on our subconscious level, where on the other side the politeness urges to give somebody the benefit of doubt. So maybe he was a violent animal on pray..
posted by: kayoko (reply)
post date: 04.12.06 (1:11 pm)
A fine example of how impressions affect our perception of someone. And why how you present yourself to the world actually matters!
I think I agree with the decision your manager made. If this man was making the employees uncomfortable, then it was correct to impose a 15 minute seating limit as a nice way to ask the individual to leave. The guy's decision not to come back to the store was his choice. It was a peaceful way to conclude the issue.
posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 10.19.06 (3:07 pm)
Was the guy taking a seat that an otherwise better paying customer would need? I suspect not. He was harmless, so he should have been left alone. What's going to be next- fat, ugly people will be given a 15-minute-limit? But, that would probably exclude the manager. (Not a nice comment!)
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