I need a time out...

March 23, 2002

One of the best things about the cafe are the good people there. One of the worst things are the rest of the people.

We're paid to give good customer service, right? Are we paid to deal with threats? Not just rudeness, that's quite commonplace, but actual threats to our safety?

One of my coworkers has already been attacked, although he is good at taking punches. What if the guy was stronger, meaner, more tweaked out on coke?

I came back from lunch only to find my coworker arguing with the bastard. I've hung out with my coworker a bit, and he is a very laid-back, mellow guy. So to hear him angry at someone instantly got my guard up.

We call him "Scruffy" because he is. Uncombed, unwashed dirty blonde hair. A black jacket and jeans? that he obviously hasn't washed for months. He demands free drinks and when we refuse, he starts to threaten.

I've never met him, until today, but I know the type. He's trying to browbeat us into giving in, or to incite one of us to take a swing at him. He wants a fight, but he's not willing to start one. I called the police and gave a statement. That's no problem.

It's the after-effects that bother me. The increased adrenaline, the irritation at the other customers. This is not a time to be bugging me about extra whipped cream. Don't they realize that there was a confrontation and we need time to detox? I'm busy trying to get the facts so when the cop comes, I can give him an accurate report, I hope you don't mind waiting for your coffee beans.

But that's a normal reaction to low level threats, to ignore that it happened. Of course, it wasn't directed to you, it was directed to me and my friend. And we're paid to handle these things, right?