Socially Appropriate...

So a red card client came into the restaurant the other day. I know him well now and over time have come to dread his arrival. While we have many clients on the program who are pleasant and use our lunch program out of real need, there are others who sport $300 watches, designer clothing and verbally abuse us when they come in. This guy was the latter.

One of the issues we've had to address is the constant tension of running a viable business while also providing a service to the street community. Ideally, we'd like to do both - though I'm becoming more and more convinced the two are not mutually compatible. The street people, perhaps justly so, are sometimes offended by our 'take out' only policy, but it's alarming to business clientelle to sit at a table beside someone with who lives day to day on the street and bears all the evidence of it.

Back to the guy...after first trying to negiotate a better deal for himself on his lunch and accusing us of making money off his back (we only cover costs anyhow) he complained loudly, 'Why can't we sit in this place to eat?! What?! Do you think we're GERMS or something?!?!'

I'm only glad I didn't have to respond to him, because after a year and half of swallowing this kind of crap, I wanted to retort, 'No I don't think you're a Germ at all - I think you're a 'effing CANCER!'

But that wouldn't have exactly been socially appropriate, would it...