Chapter II: Payment

October 23, 2008

He says “no thanks I’ll pass”. I ring him up for the bill for the 6pc McNuggets and Coke. He pays, I hand him his change. 

 

It is not the taking of money and giving of food that sustains me in this field that I have chosen. It is the smile on these people’s face that I see when they take their food, hot and piping, on time and affordable. 

The man smiles back, leaves and proceeds to his table. 

I turn around to check if there are still burgers or other items ready for the next person.

Suddenly I sense something wrong. The air is perturbed. My aura is shaken.

A scream pierces the air “GODDAMN IT!”

My head cocks toward the sound. It is the man, he is approaching the counter fuming.

“Yes may I help you sir?”

“NO YOU CAN’T WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR MANAGER?”

The manager comes out, “yes sir what seems to be the problem?”

“THIS ASS-HOLE WANTS TO KILL ME!” 

Me?

I gave him what he wanted.

I suddenly feel the metal counter’s clammy coldness, the heat of the kitchen burns the back of my neck, the stink of fries, Coke and burgers swirling in my nostrils.

“Sir, could you please explain?” asks my manager level headed as always.

“HE’S TRYING TO KILL ME THAT’S WHAT’S HAPPENING! THERE IS NO FURTHER NEED FOR EXPLANATION!”

“Sir all my crew are well trained and he’s been employee of the month for 12 months straight, please elaborate sir”

“HE PLACED 7 NUGGETS INSTEAD OF 6 IN MY BOX! HE’S TRYING TO CLOG UP MY ARTERIES!”

What the hell? I’m manning the counter not putting those nuggets in your box.

“Sir-” “SHUT UP!” “Sir rest assured I’ll be taking the appropriate measures to take care of this… saboteur”

WHAT?

“I WANT HIS ASS FIRED!”

The man leaves having returned his 7th nugget to our counter.. The manager takes me aside into his room and talks to me. 

“what you did was very bad there, you understand?” 

“Sir I don’t think I do.”

“You upset a customer, you made a mistake, now don’t think I’m not aware of your track record. You’ve been our best employee for a year now.”

“Yes sir” I say with a little more pride and dignity.

“But you failed me this time. Go home get a good night’s rest”

“Sir I have to finish my shift! It’s until 4pm and its just 2.45″

“Yep. I don’t know how we’ll do without you. But starting 2.46pm we sure as hell will try”

That was it? That was it!

I was fired.

Just because a nugget had appeared in my customer’s box? Because of one extra nugget?

I packed my bags. I went outside, it was hot. Too hot. My head was throbbing, throbbing like a thousand hearts beating at once. My eyes felt like they were being scooped out of their sockets. That was it, I was without a Quick Service Restaurant job. I had given 12 months of my life to McDonald’s and in just 15 minutes I was out of a job. I was now unemployed. A hobo

The sun at 3pm never looked so bleak.