What The F*ck Wednesdays

People never cease to amaze me.  What also amazes me is that there is no shortage of snotty people, especially in this town.

I have an employee "JC" who is one of the best people I know.  She has been working for me since she was fifteen and is now seventeen.  I feel like I have watched her mature and I tend to often act as a "mom" figure.  She tells me everything about her life and constantly asks my advice.  Her actual mother has always been less than attentive, so I try to do anything I can for her to show her that she has a support system.

For sake of argument (because I think she's beautiful and I am extremely biased) when most people first set eyes on JC, they tend to judge immediately.  She is covered in tattoos (none of which contain offensive language or gory scenes) and piercings and kind of resembles one of those "emo" kids with crazy hair, crazy make up and skinny jeans. You know which ones I am talking about!! 

I am tattooed and pierced myself and find the body to be one of the greatest canvases so her appearance in no way offends me but who am I to speak for everyone else.  I understand the strong urge to judge a book by it's cover.  I too have caught myself trying but usually manage to keep control of it.

Now that you have a little back ground let's proceed to the WTF moment...

A couple of months ago it was just JC and I at the restaurant and it was a typical Thursday afternoon.  JC was working the register while I was in the kitchen.  A lady comes in and JC greets her with the typical "Hi, my name is JC how are you today?" (did I mention that JC has this sweet  little voice that doesn't sound like it belongs to her)

The lady looks awkwardly at JC and then at the menu and proceeds to order.  JC takes the order flawlessly, gets the lady everything she asks for and is extremely polite.  I know this because the register is less than ten feet from the kitchen entrance and I could hear and see everything.  I finished up the lady's order and took it out to her, here is how the conversation went...

Me (handing the lady her to-go bag):  "Here you go Mam, thanks for coming in."

Lady:  "You're welcome, thank you.  Um might I speak to a manager?"

Me:  "What can I do for you?"

Lady (eyeing my nose piercing):  "You're the manager?"

Me:  "Yes mam, what can I help you with."

Lady:  "Could we possibly talk in private?"

Me:  "Certainly" (we walk over by the front door)

Lady:  VERBATIM!!!  "I really don't think you should hire people who look like that."

Me:  "Excuse me, people who look like what?"  (playing dumb)

Lady:  "Well, people who look like...well her (pointing at JC who was wiping down tables)

Me:  "I don't quite understand" (still playing dumb)

Lady (uncomfortably):  You know all pierced and tattooed. 

Me:  "Well Mam, I understand your concern and see how it could be an eye shock to see such a young person so adorned but let me first ask you a few questions.  Were you greeted when you walked through our door?  Was it with a smile?  Was your order taken in a timely fashion and all your needs met?  Have you been treated with respect the whole ten minutes you have been here?

Lady:  "Well yes...but...

Me (interrupting eloquently):  "Then I believe we have no problem.  The "pierced and tattooed" girl (and yes I made the quotation mark finger gesture tee-hee) has a name which she was kind enough to provide for you when you came in.  She has been my employee since the day we opened the restaurant  two years ago.  She is the hardest worker I have.  She goes to school all morning and works here all afternoon and on weekends.  She doesn't drink, she doesn't do drugs and she has never been in trouble."  She treated you with respect and deserves the same.  I understand that the body modifications might not be your "cup of tea" (finger gesture again) but next time you want to judge based on that criteria alone force yourself too take a closer look because underneath it all we are people just like you.  We are no stupider nor are we any less than you we just find beauty in different things." (smiling)

Lady:  Speechless

I was satisfied with my lecture but felt it was lacking a certain pizazz so before telling the lady to
"enjoy her lunch and have a fantastic afternoon" I made a point to roll up my sleeves a little so that she could fully see the "Karma" tattoo on my wrist and adjusted the collar on my chef coat for a better view of my dermal anchors.

My tongue gets away with me sometimes but usually it is in defense of others and I was certainly not going to stand there and let someone dictate to me who I should and shouldn't hire.  I might have gone a little over board with the lecture but JC is family and you don't fuck with family.  Really Lady???  WTF???

Fortunately, it all turned out ok and the Lady who received my lecture came back later and apologized to both JC and myself for her "thoughtlessness" as she called it.  She quickly became a frequent customer in the restaurant and has made a valiant effort to try and get to know JC.  In fact she is very pleasant herself and is even almost likeable.  Almost.

Sometimes people just need a hand so that they can climb off their pedestals and return to Earth.  In this case, however, a swift kick was the tool that got the job done.