So I'm in a quandary here.
I have tons of regular customers, most of which know me by name (and vice versa).
A couple of them - mother and daughter - and I have started talking quite a bit via AIM and email. They're by far my favorite customers, and I honestly look forward to the days when I know they're coming in. They're basically on a first name basis with about half of the people in my department. They've been regulars since I started, and we have a lot of common interests (mainly in pets) - but we didn't start talking outside of work until another coworker they really liked was fired.
First off, they know I'm gay, so they know there's no chance of romantic interest at any level. Secondly, they apparently know a lot of our store's employees by name as well. I'm openly gay at work (which has actually shot down a sexual harassment claim against me by a female coworker, a whole 'nother story there). I don't "act gay" according to lots of coworkers and even customers that I BS with - hence the sexual harassment claim. I don't bring it up with customers unless they keep asking why I don't have a wife/girlfriend - if they want to get that personal with me, I'm kicking the closet door open in their face
They've also apparently praised me quite highly - to the store manager.
Anyway, they've asked me to have dinner with them at a pretty nice place, in the next month or so
So tell me, should I do it? Obviously I'll be paying my own tab (and won't let them even see how much my tab is, I don't believe in people paying my way no matter how broke I am, and I make damn good money for a cook anyway), but this will be the first time in my nearly 11 years of doing customer service where I'll be doing something beyond chatting with customers for a few minutes while handling whatever I'm doing for them.
I have tons of regular customers, most of which know me by name (and vice versa).
A couple of them - mother and daughter - and I have started talking quite a bit via AIM and email. They're by far my favorite customers, and I honestly look forward to the days when I know they're coming in. They're basically on a first name basis with about half of the people in my department. They've been regulars since I started, and we have a lot of common interests (mainly in pets) - but we didn't start talking outside of work until another coworker they really liked was fired.
First off, they know I'm gay, so they know there's no chance of romantic interest at any level. Secondly, they apparently know a lot of our store's employees by name as well. I'm openly gay at work (which has actually shot down a sexual harassment claim against me by a female coworker, a whole 'nother story there). I don't "act gay" according to lots of coworkers and even customers that I BS with - hence the sexual harassment claim. I don't bring it up with customers unless they keep asking why I don't have a wife/girlfriend - if they want to get that personal with me, I'm kicking the closet door open in their face
They've also apparently praised me quite highly - to the store manager.
Anyway, they've asked me to have dinner with them at a pretty nice place, in the next month or so
So tell me, should I do it? Obviously I'll be paying my own tab (and won't let them even see how much my tab is, I don't believe in people paying my way no matter how broke I am, and I make damn good money for a cook anyway), but this will be the first time in my nearly 11 years of doing customer service where I'll be doing something beyond chatting with customers for a few minutes while handling whatever I'm doing for them.
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