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We were told during our daily employee meeting that an Auditor from the Corporate Office would be visiting our restaurant this evening, to observe how we perform credit card transactions.
“So I shouldn’t take pictures of customers’ credit cards with my cell phone while he’s watching?” I joked.
After a long silent glare at me, my manager said, “[Palsgraf], this is serious.”
(Unfortunately, I don’t do “serious.”)
I didn’t know that we had a problem with credit card fraud at our restaurant, but I also didn’t even expect to meet this guy. We had almost no guest reservations for tonight and I was the only waiter who’d been working all day, so I figured I’d be cut and sent home early. I didn’t give it any further thought.
I was right about being cut early.
But while I was waiting for my Chianti ladies to finish their wine, a manager approached me and asked, “Could you take table 110? He’s the auditor – he arrived early to have dinner first.”
While walking to the table, I grabbed my wallet and pulled out my gasoline charge card, and stuck it in my order book.
I performed the official corporate-dictated greeting at his table, word for word. Very professional. I suggested a glass of wine, then other beverages, and specifically mentioned two appetizers.
But as I opened my book to write down his drink order, I let my charge card fall to the floor and pretended not to notice. Watching his face, I could see that he noticed but didn’t say anything to me.
As I walked away, I looked back and saw that he started to reach over to pick up the card, but changed his mind and left it on the floor.
When I returned the card was still there, laying face down on the carpet.
I began pitching our evening specials to him when he interrupted me, “I, I think you dropped something.”
“What?” I asked, looking over and reaching down to pick it up, “Oh, it’s just someone’s credit card.”
I chuckled and added, “I lose these things all the time.”
After I was satisfied with the look of shock on his face, I finally confessed that I was just having a little fun with him because I knew all along that he was our auditor.
My manger, however, watched the entire show in horror. I’d said, “I’m gonna drop my credit card and see if he notices,” as I walked up to greet him, but she’d thought I was just joking.
At least she now knows never to involve me in anything “serious” again.
And for the icing on the cake ...
The auditor was actually more interested in how I perform transactions in the computer: what I’m capable of doing myself, and which functions I needed a manger to do for me. He watched as I performed different tasks on it, and followed me through the settling of all my receipts for the day.
My manager approached us and asked me, “Did you do everything with him?”
Since I was still avoiding being “serious,” I replied, “Everything? What do you mean?! I’m married!! Besides, this is just a first date.”
My manger closed her eyes in pain and muttered, “Oh my God,” as she once again regretted involving me this.
Monday nights are usually a little strange. I did my part to keep up the tradition.
“So I shouldn’t take pictures of customers’ credit cards with my cell phone while he’s watching?” I joked.
After a long silent glare at me, my manager said, “[Palsgraf], this is serious.”
(Unfortunately, I don’t do “serious.”)
I didn’t know that we had a problem with credit card fraud at our restaurant, but I also didn’t even expect to meet this guy. We had almost no guest reservations for tonight and I was the only waiter who’d been working all day, so I figured I’d be cut and sent home early. I didn’t give it any further thought.
I was right about being cut early.
But while I was waiting for my Chianti ladies to finish their wine, a manager approached me and asked, “Could you take table 110? He’s the auditor – he arrived early to have dinner first.”
While walking to the table, I grabbed my wallet and pulled out my gasoline charge card, and stuck it in my order book.
I performed the official corporate-dictated greeting at his table, word for word. Very professional. I suggested a glass of wine, then other beverages, and specifically mentioned two appetizers.
But as I opened my book to write down his drink order, I let my charge card fall to the floor and pretended not to notice. Watching his face, I could see that he noticed but didn’t say anything to me.
As I walked away, I looked back and saw that he started to reach over to pick up the card, but changed his mind and left it on the floor.
When I returned the card was still there, laying face down on the carpet.
I began pitching our evening specials to him when he interrupted me, “I, I think you dropped something.”
“What?” I asked, looking over and reaching down to pick it up, “Oh, it’s just someone’s credit card.”
I chuckled and added, “I lose these things all the time.”
After I was satisfied with the look of shock on his face, I finally confessed that I was just having a little fun with him because I knew all along that he was our auditor.
My manger, however, watched the entire show in horror. I’d said, “I’m gonna drop my credit card and see if he notices,” as I walked up to greet him, but she’d thought I was just joking.
At least she now knows never to involve me in anything “serious” again.
And for the icing on the cake ...
The auditor was actually more interested in how I perform transactions in the computer: what I’m capable of doing myself, and which functions I needed a manger to do for me. He watched as I performed different tasks on it, and followed me through the settling of all my receipts for the day.
My manager approached us and asked me, “Did you do everything with him?”
Since I was still avoiding being “serious,” I replied, “Everything? What do you mean?! I’m married!! Besides, this is just a first date.”
My manger closed her eyes in pain and muttered, “Oh my God,” as she once again regretted involving me this.
Monday nights are usually a little strange. I did my part to keep up the tradition.
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