The Redhead And The Ass Hat

This is for "Ass Hats at Work".

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My friend C has bright red hair and people notice it. One year she came to visit me in Victoria and we went out for dinner. We chose a quiet pub-style restaurant and had a nice dinner. The food was great and the service was fine. The only odd bit was the waiter who kept staring at C when he came to the table. After we left I joked that he was interested in her. She said, "He probably forgot me as soon as we left."

C left town and I went back to my regular routine. I was working the night shift in a convenience store and hated it. The crappy wages and hours were bad enough but the people could be worse. Usually the best customers were other people who worked with the public. Usually.

One Friday night I was busy on the cash register when a group of university students came in. They had been drinking but didn't look like they were going to be a problem. I turned my attention back to serving those in line. Everything went fine until one of the students said, "I know you!" in a loud voice. I looked up and recognized the waiter who had served my friend and I.

"I know you!" he said again.

"You were with that cute redheaded chick....where is she?...man, I'd love to bonk her."

This all came out in a rush and everyone seemed to pause. Some of this friends laughed while others looked annoyed. I paused hoping he wouldn't say any more, but he went on and on. He loved redheads, he said, and 'she was hot', and then he would get sidetracked and go on about something else.

I finally asked him if he was going to buy something because he was holding up the line. His friends payed for his stuff and got him out of the store. The remaining customers and I had a laugh and the incident was over.

A few days later I wanted to go out for dinner. I thought about going back to that restaurant but didn't. If I had ended up with that waiter I would have asked for someone else. In that place that might not have been possible some nights. Rather than face the possibility of a scene I avoided the place. The restaurant lost a customer because of an ass hat employee.