There are... No words... (ironiclly enough, a little ranty)

[Nijiero]

Well, I never thought I'd actually say this and mean it, but I think that my faith in humanity might ACTUALLY be gone this time. And so might my job, come to think of it, if this guy actually meant what he said...

This is self-entitlement at it's worst, I think... there are very few times when I've felt I just wanted to crawl under a rock and try to evolve into something else, but... ugh...

So, here's what happened... as I mentioned in another thread, I work at Subway, a store in a busy shopping center area. Things are pretty okay there, most of the time, aside from your average flow of SC's and such... living SOMEWHERE in this area is an Ancient Homeless Man, the kind who's just not ALL THERE. He comes to the store two or three times a week, and asks if we have any spare sandwiches. Despite the policy against it, I have never hesitated to Make him a Footlong Sandwich and send him on his way, because I honestly beleive that, no matter what your circumstances in life, EVERYONE deserves to be able to EAT. Tonight, this man (lets refer to him as "Milford"... we do not know his actual name) came into my store, and it happened to be during a short rush we were having, maybe ten people in line.

Now, he come in, and as always, he takes a seat at a table and waits, very quietly, very polite, doesn't bother ANYONE, untill I bring him his sandwich, which he accepts, puts into his bag, and leaves. Now, as I mentioned, Milford seems to have been homeless for a very long time, and as a result, he is... well... kinda rank, and it spreads fairly quickly, so when he enters, I put the customers in line on hold to throw together a 45-second sandwich and send Milford on his way... as I proceeded to do tonight. Now, I have mostly regulars in line at this point, who have seen Milford and are quite used to him. But there was also this man waiting two people back, dressed in a nice bussiness suit... he had pulled up in a Porshe, and he reeked of a different smell... self-importance. As I put together a Turkey with Olives and Mayonaise... yes, thats IT, it's what Milford has always asked for... this man is standing there tapping his foot, looking at his watch, and sighing loud enough to alert the entire store to his annoyance.

When Milford is gone, its back to business, and his turn comes up. He steps to the counter, looks me up and down, and this is how the conversation goes...

Players:
Me
SISC-Self Important Stupid Custsomer

Me- Welcome to Subway, sorry about your wait... what can I get for you today?
SISC- Yeah, you can get me the owners number. I'm going to have you fired for serving that disgusting hobo before the line of paying customers.
--So.. let me see if I understand you... How DARE I serve the needy before you and your porshe! You would have prefered I served you ahead of him while he sat there watching me make sandwiches for people with MONEY, while he slowly ranked up the entire store?--
Me- I... beg your pardon, sir? I needed to get Milford to leave, he kind of stinks, but we feed him whenever he...
SISC: Shut the hell up and get me the number. And YOU ::he points at my Pregnant Co-worker who is working the veggies of the customer that was ahead of him:: make me my sandwich, since this guy won't be working here anymore.

And... thats about all of that conversation I feel like rehashing, mostly because several of my Regulars decided to intervien on my behalf... particularly the three Bodybuilders who work at the gym down the road... he was cursed at six different way, but, to my surprise, he was astoundingly resilient in his Dickheadedness, staying tough and demanding the owners number... against my better judgement, I gave it to him, if for no other reason than to shut him the fuck UP and leave. PregCW had gone ahead and made his food, despite having a 'WTF' look glued onto her face the entire time. He grabbed his food, threw money at my register worker, and left.

So... here we are, back at the wanting to crawl under a rock thing. I await the fate of my Job. I'm not sure, really, because I was, technically, violating a company policy not to give food to homeless people.

And thats how MY day was. Anyone got any thoughts? Was I wrong? Was this guy totally in his rights to react how he did?

[finlayfox]

sometimes, it is worth losing your job to do the right thing... enough said

[crashhelmet]

sometimes, it is worth losing your job to do the right thing... enough said

Agreed. I wish you the best of luck in this. Hopefully the owner will be understanding. Regardless of whatever action he takes against you, lets hope he rips into the SC and bans him from them store.

CH

[ArcticChicken]

I'm not sure, really, because I was, technically, violating a company policy not to give food to homeless people.

Not only were you violating company policy, you were stealing. Theft doesn't have to be for personal use to make it theft.

As admirable as it may be to feed the hungry, that's not your food. If that guy brings it to the owner, you'll be lucky if you're not arrested.

[Nijiero]

Not only were you violating company policy, you were stealing. Theft doesn't have to be for personal use to make it theft.

As admirable as it may be to feed the hungry, that's not your food. If that guy brings it to the owner, you'll be lucky if you're not arrested.

Wow... you do kinda... have a point there. I guess I never really thought of it like that, though, in all fairness, it was explained to me that the Policy was there because it encourages said Homless to return again and drive away customers. I never thought of it as a big deal because he never bothers anyone, like, at all.

Still, that is something I failed to consider... I need to think this over, now...

[Pairou]

Hate to say this, but I'm with ArcticChicken. Unless you pay for it out-of-pocket or something before you give it to the guy, it's stealing, despite the good intentions behind it; honestly though, were I the owner, I would make an exception. It can go either way; who knows, maybe the guy will be brushed off as just another SC? Best of luck Nijiero!

[VComps]

Well, why don't we give Nijiero the benefit of the doubt... where I live, Subway employees are allowed to make themselves one sandwich per shift free of charge.

Maybe he was just making his own free sandwich, and instead of eating it, he chose to give it to Milford.

(Having said that, Nijiero, I agree that everyone has a right to eat. That's why soup kitchens, missions, and food banks are around.)

But the guy WAS a jerk.

[Pairou]

VComps: That makes sense to me. If that's the case, then I doubt the guy can get him in trouble, right? Also, maybe it's against policy to make sandwiches for friends and so on; but even then, this is kind of a special case, IMHO...

[VComps]

Well, I think Nijiero's best chance is if the stars align thus:

-The customer calls the owner and rubs him the wrong way with his self-importance
-The regulars call the owner to defend Nijiero (ie, "if you fire him, we're all going elsewhere")

However... the owner might see it thus:

-Nijiero stole stock in order to encourage a smelly homeless person to hang around the store waiting for freebies while offending paying customers.

Either way, if *I* was the manager I'd probably give him a verbal warning if he wasn't stealing (for serving Milford before those in line) or a written one if he was deemed to be stealing. That way I have the appearance of having disciplined Nijiero but not the bad conscience that would come with firing someone for feeding the homeless.

[Blade_Raver]

Not only were you violating company policy, you were stealing. Theft doesn't have to be for personal use to make it theft.

As admirable as it may be to feed the hungry, that's not your food. If that guy brings it to the owner, you'll be lucky if you're not arrested.

I disagree with the last sentence of that statement.

Arresting over theft of a sandwich is completely overblown.

If it gets to the point where the owner has a beef with it, just tell him to take it out of your paycheck..

You'll still have a job.. he'll have his sandwich.. you might be $5-10 lighter on the paycheck for that scenario..

Then you can decide later if you want to keep feeding him with your wages from that point on.

I will admit though, the guy who drives a Porsche is definitely a douchebag and I hope karma catches up to him.

Money can buy you a lot of things, but it can't buy you class and a good reputation.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Anyone got any thoughts? Was I wrong? Was this guy totally in his rights to react how he did?

No, the self-important cockbag was not right to scream at you for serving the homeless guy.

However, chances are good that the owner is going to find out you were giving his food away for free, and you'd kinda be in Fucksville at that point.

I think I would've given the homeless guy the address and phone number of a local soup kitchen or shelter. It's noble to help the homeless but I'm not going to put my job on the line to do it.

[VComps]

It's noble to help the homeless but I'm not going to put my job on the line to do it.

This.

Most people are only two or three paycheques away from being homeless themselves. And, I hate to use the dreaded phrase, but in this economy if you lose one job you aren't necessarily guaranteed to find another.

[draco664]

Despite the policy against it, I have never hesitated to Make him a Footlong Sandwich and send him on his way, because I honestly beleive that, no matter what your circumstances in life, EVERYONE deserves to be able to EAT.

As admirable as that sentiment is, it is not your employer's responsibility to provide food to those who cannot pay for it. There are many government- and charity-run organisations that do provide food for those who cannot provide for themselves.

If there is a policy against it, then you should be written up for violating that policy, but I doubt it would (should?) be a sackable first-time-offence.

Interestingly, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights does include food as an inalienable right. Article 25 (1) says

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Just as interestingly, it doesn't mention who is to provide said food.

[Crab]

On the one hand, the suit was completely out of line to react like a brat the way he did. Sounds damn unlikely he had anything in mind apart from having to wait another minute for his food. For all he knew, you'd been instructed to give him a sandwich and send him on his way.

On the other hand... like others have said, you hadn't, and you shouldn't have. While it's admirable, unless you were paying for it yourself, you really didn't have the right to give him a sandwich; it's not your shop, so it's not your food.

[LillFilly]

The situation is really sad. My heart loves that you were helping Milford. But my training says you were in the wrong. I've been in your place before, and it breaks you apart to have to make a decision that could help someone but hurt you.

I hope the boss is understanding and you get-off light; after all, regulars appreciate what you did, so you have a loyal following for your store.