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Not one of my better moments
This happened way back when I worked at Tim Hortons, almost two decades ago (eek) and is one of those things that I remember over and over with embarrassment. There's been a few threads on CS lately about people feeling like they didn't handle a situation perfectly, so hopefully it will make you all feel better about your work, cause at least you didn't do this:
I was working supervising the afternoon shift, there was myself, two young girls (16 years old maybe) on counter, and a counter/baker worker in the store. A strange man (small small towns, know everybody for miles kind of place) came in, wearing a casual business suit (severely overdressed for the farm country I was living in), ordered a small coffee, got a receipt and sat down at a table. He was sitting for about twenty minutes, watching us work, watching the customers, writing the odd note in the book he had with him.
After a while he was starting to sketch me out, it seemed like he was watching us work pretty intently, and the two girls I was working with were both cute, young and naive, it was starting to seem like it could become a dangerous situation. Just then police pulled in through drive-through and when they came up to the window I asked if they were busy or had time to do me a favour and come in. I explained about the guy watching us and giving me bad vibes, I stated that he probably just had writers block or something, but that he also could be writing the kidnappers guide to our county, and could they maybe chat with him and see what was up. No problem.
The police come in, order another coffee and wander to his table "Hey, how's it going tonight?" and end up sitting down with him. I'm busy serving so don't notice most of the conversation, but about ten minutes later one of the officers comes over and tells me it's all cool, he's harmless and leaving soon anyways, and they leave. Strange man continues to nurse small coffee, stare at working and write in his notepad.
Another ten minutes in he gets up and loads up his paperwork to leave (relief!) approaches the counter (fear!) hands me a piece of paper (confusion..) and asks me to give it to the owners (more fear!) and leaves (big sigh of relief). The paper wasn't folded or in an envelope so I read it as I took it to the office. He was from head office, doing a random inspection to make sure our franchise was up to standards, and it was our grade for the visit.
Hopefully you can all feel better knowing that whatever you did or didn't do at work today, you probably didn't get the police to harass the man who could get your boss shit-canned.
I was working supervising the afternoon shift, there was myself, two young girls (16 years old maybe) on counter, and a counter/baker worker in the store. A strange man (small small towns, know everybody for miles kind of place) came in, wearing a casual business suit (severely overdressed for the farm country I was living in), ordered a small coffee, got a receipt and sat down at a table. He was sitting for about twenty minutes, watching us work, watching the customers, writing the odd note in the book he had with him.
After a while he was starting to sketch me out, it seemed like he was watching us work pretty intently, and the two girls I was working with were both cute, young and naive, it was starting to seem like it could become a dangerous situation. Just then police pulled in through drive-through and when they came up to the window I asked if they were busy or had time to do me a favour and come in. I explained about the guy watching us and giving me bad vibes, I stated that he probably just had writers block or something, but that he also could be writing the kidnappers guide to our county, and could they maybe chat with him and see what was up. No problem.
The police come in, order another coffee and wander to his table "Hey, how's it going tonight?" and end up sitting down with him. I'm busy serving so don't notice most of the conversation, but about ten minutes later one of the officers comes over and tells me it's all cool, he's harmless and leaving soon anyways, and they leave. Strange man continues to nurse small coffee, stare at working and write in his notepad.
Another ten minutes in he gets up and loads up his paperwork to leave (relief!) approaches the counter (fear!) hands me a piece of paper (confusion..) and asks me to give it to the owners (more fear!) and leaves (big sigh of relief). The paper wasn't folded or in an envelope so I read it as I took it to the office. He was from head office, doing a random inspection to make sure our franchise was up to standards, and it was our grade for the visit.
Hopefully you can all feel better knowing that whatever you did or didn't do at work today, you probably didn't get the police to harass the man who could get your boss shit-canned.
Live and learn.
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