I'm not one to usually judge a person, mainly because every person has traveled their own personal paths in life and no one knows what another person is all about. But as a successful media reporter, we always need to put the facts (allegedly as it may seem) out there, report the news and let the audience draw their own conclusions.
So that's what I'm going to do.
A few of my friends and I went to a local eatery early Saturday morning at approximately 2:10 a.m. We sat down at our booth and ordered some food. There was another group of individuals in the same eatery at another table. I didn't really know any of them, except maybe a brief hello to a couple of them in the past. We were minding our own business, and they were minding their own business.
Approximately an hour later, the group of guys at the other table left the eatery. A few minutes later, as we were asking for our check, the waitress innocently mentioned that she was a bit surprised that the guys only left her $1 as a tip, but, as she said, "I'm not going to complain, it's no big deal".
Now my group of friends are the type of people who not only would feel bad that this would ever happen, but we are the type of people who work in the service industry - me as a bartender - and would do our best to compensate for another table's alleged foul actions. So we decided to make her day and leave her three times the amount of our tip.
Now I'm not accusing anyone of stiffing a server; I'm not in a person's mind. But nonetheless, a couple of my friends posted generic Facebook posts - not naming any names - but just saying something like "Go out to eat and leave a $1 tip, who would do that?"
Now I have no idea what transpired before Saturday at around 11 a.m., but somehow someone mentioned something to somebody, calling these people out. My friends and I were asleep, so I have no idea what happened. And to be perfectly honest, I really could give two s**ts what happened!
So allegedly, one of the members of the table who, allegedly, was part of the group who, allegedly, stiffed the waitress out a sufficient tip, decided that it was okay in some freakin' universe to message some stupid rant to one of my friends, accusing us of spreading gossip and rumors about them, which they insist were not true.
Now I don't give a damn whether it was true or not. And I don't give a damn if this person feels justified in reacting this way. But I DO give a damn that this person would be so reckless as to think that in some universe that it is okay to give me and my friends dirty looks and talk s*** about us at our local watering holes. And trust, I know that is a fact because a couple of people mentioned it ... and I, myself, saw the dirty looks.
Now this is the quiz ~~~ If you are eating in a restaurant and you, allegedly, leave a $1 tip when 3 or 4 people are eating, would you:
A) Justify it by saying a couple of the people paid by credit card (PS - the eatery DOES NOT accept credit cards);
B) Start a text altercation with a person because you have been called out for your alleged actions;
C) After thinking you've been called out, you call the eatery the next morning and complain about the server and almost get that server fired;
D) Feel justified in causing a ruckus with the people who you falsely assume made you, allegedly, look like a fool in the community.
You can decide which letter you want, but I'm going to make this plain and as clear and concise as this blogger can make it ...
If you choose letter D, you'd better be prepared for what I do after-the-fact, because if you choose to act like a fool and talk about me and my friends out in public, this is one black man who will make you second-guess choosing letter D!
So I'm putting it out there to whoever has a problem with me ~~ you are more than welcome to approach me face-to-face and discuss your concerns or issues, I welcome it. And I'm speaking for myself, no one else, and not my friends.
But best be warned ~~ you may be greeted by Eric, who is a nice, kind-hearted person who always has an open mind. Or you may be greeted by Bernadine, who is a bitchy, cunty wildcat who doesn't put up with any crap ... from anyone.
But if I were a betting man, I'd put all my savings on meeting up with Miss Bernadine!
But take your chances ... you never know.
**Editor's note ~ For those who aren't aware, the definition of allegedly is: used to convey that something is claimed to be the case or have taken place, although there is no proof.
