Disappointed, Yes - Surprised, No. The Saga Ends...

It's an uncomfortable Friday afternoon work environment.  The DQ is again on the floor and the other servers are nervous. He's not communicating with anyone. At 2 pm the boss calls a meeting with DQ and me. What!  What?

We sit equidistant around a large round table; Able to look one another in the eye, or pretend one doesn't exist. The boss informs us that we are going to be "co-managers of the front end" and that we will "work together to make the dining room run smoothly and efficiently." 

Say, what!  Has he lost his mind? Is this a last ditch effort to salvage the reputation of a longtime employee? Makes no sense, otherwise.

If I remember my training over the years correctly, managers lead by example and no job is beneath them when they are needed.  I say (looking at DQ who refuses to meet my eyes) that I would not call DQ's recent - or present - behaviour Managerial or Professional.  This comment is ignored.  The boss's outline is vague and there are many loose ends (you betcha!) to be tied up, but in the his head this is going to work.  It'll be great! Uh-huh!

At the end of this bullshit extravaganza, I am asked if I am on-board.  My response (again, looking directly at DQ who will not look me in the eye) "I don't think this is going to work. If he pulls his little show again, he's not going to have anyone to manage.  I will send him home again, unless you choose to do otherwise.  In which case the staff will simply walk out." The boss winced at that, but said nothing.

Fast forward to Saturday evening - DQ is tending bar when the boss suffers chest pains and is convinced to get to the hospital. Three hours later, his life partner, boss 2, returns to do some juggling of personnel to accommodate the late night crowds, especially those arriving for Karaoke.

Boss 2 chooses to bring a relief bartender in to keep the bar flowing smoothly.  DQ has a problem with this person and (again) launches into another hissy fit. It becomes painfully clear to boss 2 that DQ isn't concerned for the restaurant, bar, or the health of boss 1;  that this is all about him.

DQ is sent home and it is decided the next day that he be fired. A longtime employee and hard worker in the past had become self absorbed, felt entitled, and really didn't give a damn about anyone or anything else.

While I wasn't involved in the conversation I am sure letting him go was painful and not easy to follow through on, but it was the right thing to do. The 2 bosses are emotionally devastated, and with good reason. It isn't every day that a longtime, trusted employee shows his true colors of selfishness and arrogance in an emergency situation where a life may be at stake.

Turns out the tests showed that there was no heart attack involved, just heavy duty stress, which caused the chest pain.

Boss 1 is back and a little more playful than last week. He came to realize that he has nurtured a good staff of caring people who begged him to go to the hospital, and he knew the restaurant (and both bosses) were of primary concern, which is what ultimately was the deciding factor in his going to the hospital.

Today, everyone was grateful that the petty ugliness, and bitchiness was at an end. The collective sigh of relief was unmistakable. There was some shock about the firing, but no one was sad that the drama has come to an end. Time to move forward.

And so it goes.
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