TW: Drugs
Flashing lights, sirens, a whole battalion of squad cars, firetrucks and ambulances; just another day on the job...
Last month we had a strange man constantly skulking about the property. Most likely on some form of drug, he would come in, tarnished clothes and thrashing arms as he sidestepped his way about the lobby. Repeatedly, he would fall asleep at one of the tables, or would cause some disturbance, and we'd end up kicking him out.
This man was in his late 40's and homeless. His hair a brunette mess of dirt and curls, and his beard scraggly and misshaped along his face. Often, if not always, he sported a green trench coat and well-worn boots. Some days we wouldn't notice him in the store until someone would point out that he had returned, and he would have to be removed from the property once more.
I recall the last time he entered our store vividly. We hadn't seen him enter the store, but customers had noticed his intrigue with the restroom and thought it a good idea to mention it after he disappeared into the stalls for some time. While this was of no immediate concern as it hadn't been long since he entered, we did make note to check in a few minutes to see if he was still in there.
Some small amount of time drifted by as the hour got busier, and none of us had even thought to check at the time until one customer went to enter the bathroom. What he saw shocked him and he rushed over to the counter to inform us of his discovery: The man was sitting cross legged on the floor at the doorway.
I was first to check.
As I rounded the corner and opened the door, I saw him there. His back to the door, he was completely unresponsive to me as I made noise and asked him if he was okay.
I returned to my manager and informed him of the situation. 911 was called, and within minutes we had cop cars, ambulances and firetrucks stationed outside of the store. Police and EMTs swarmed the bathroom, ready for the worst. They brought in medications, water, and more.
This man wasn't just despondent, he was overdosing.
For the next thirty minutes, the store would be cleared of customers for the first time midday since it opened.
In and out uniformed men and women would rotate like a revolving door. They moved the man to the booths to the left of the front counter and worked on him there.
A wave of success flooded the store as they were able to bring the man back to a conscious state. Drool still covered his mouth and he was barely able to move by the time the police began digging through the backpack he was carrying.
You see, this man wasn't just a homeless man. As it turned out, this man was a wanted felon, who was wanted for distribution of massive amounts of heroin and cocaine.
After a quick search turned up some paraphernalia and bags of substances, the man was escorted out to the ambulance and brought away.
This was a surprising occurrence for the day, but it was and is not all that uncommon. We've had cops and ambulances in and out of the store several times since I began working here a few years ago, and I doubt it'll stop any time soon.
It's hard to break stereotypes about places like this when these happenings continue on a regular basis.
Anyway, I just thought to share that story. It was interesting to me and I hope it was interesting to you.
If you like this and want more content regarding the life of working in fast food/customer service, please take the time to follow me for more content on here, on facebook, or on twitter.
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Sunday, July 7, 2019
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Vol. 11: Holidays
To begin this intriguing introspection on working holidays, I'd like you all to know I hate it.
Working fast food is difficult enough with the usual bustle of customer service clouding your every effort to do so much as breathe, but the aspect of working fast food changes entirely on days off.
I figured it was a good time for a comeback for this blog, as times are changing and I am learning effective new ways to utilize my time so one day I might be able to escape the endless cycle of 9-5 in a food service environment. While the job is still good, and the managers still wonderful to work with, I am finding it increasingly difficult to deal with the smallest aspects of the job, as constant days are wearing me thin, especially since becoming a manager.
Days off had practically become nonexistent and I have become tired as a result. The whole of this job has become somewhat an eyesore with a lack of days away from the place, and even days off I have to pass it on the way to college. Tomorrow is the Fourth of July (Independence Day) and as usual for every holiday (despite being told every other one would be given off) I am going to be working it at the busiest intervals. Now, though I am a fan of fireworks and fun, I am glad to say there is the possibility of rain, and I've never wanted it more than for tomorrow.
Working holidays, as I've finally gotten around to speaking about, is hell. Double, even triple customers at peak times and even slow times, a strain to even be able to step away for one minute with the chance of being flooded with streams of customers on all fronts, and a residual impact of extra customers through the weekend, as people have come in to visit family and friends. By no means am I truly a "People Person", and this is not looking to be a helpful scenario.
I've hated working holidays, parades, and festivals for some time. Even game days for local school teams are arduous and ill-fated provided I have to deal with the backlash of people swarming the scene the minute halftime approaches or the game ends. Grill work provides no better feeling as the table erupts in a haze of sandwich wrappers, meats, and cheese, and the grill gets covered with raw and cooked meat until the hours are up and either someone takes your place or you close.
It's safe to say people should cook out on the fourth, but that congregation that seeks local fireworks in a public area end up starving their night away until finally they relinquish their vile feelings of hunger with a burger from the local fast food joint, tightly packed in a wrapper and half-falling over. Complaints are caught within the congested traffic of a drive-thru, especially by those intoxicated after a night of party and poppers. These are people I wish would find solace in an out-of-town fireworks show or the favor of their own backyard.
Well, anyway, the night will usually hit peak times roughly halfway through evening until close. It's normally a good seven or eight hours of grueling away at a grill, or half-smiling at people you wish would just choose to go to the fast food place across the street, or just go home to sleep. However, this is the job, and what a job it is.
While this is the first post in a long time, I do plan on returning to form with weekly or bi-weekly inserts. If you would like to read more, please follow me here on my site by saving it to a bookmark and checking in regularly, or following my social media on facebook or twitter. Thank you for your time. If you'd like to support my efforts to relinquish myself from this disgusting job to follow more of a passion in writing and continuing school, I will be linking a patreon by the next post. Thank you once again for the time and I hope you all have a great day!
If you are reading this before the 4th or any other holiday, I hope you go forward with your plans responsibly and that you have a safe and fun time! Just please don't show up at my store when you're hungry. Cook burgers with your friends or family or, hell, even just alone.
Working fast food is difficult enough with the usual bustle of customer service clouding your every effort to do so much as breathe, but the aspect of working fast food changes entirely on days off.
I figured it was a good time for a comeback for this blog, as times are changing and I am learning effective new ways to utilize my time so one day I might be able to escape the endless cycle of 9-5 in a food service environment. While the job is still good, and the managers still wonderful to work with, I am finding it increasingly difficult to deal with the smallest aspects of the job, as constant days are wearing me thin, especially since becoming a manager.
Days off had practically become nonexistent and I have become tired as a result. The whole of this job has become somewhat an eyesore with a lack of days away from the place, and even days off I have to pass it on the way to college. Tomorrow is the Fourth of July (Independence Day) and as usual for every holiday (despite being told every other one would be given off) I am going to be working it at the busiest intervals. Now, though I am a fan of fireworks and fun, I am glad to say there is the possibility of rain, and I've never wanted it more than for tomorrow.
Working holidays, as I've finally gotten around to speaking about, is hell. Double, even triple customers at peak times and even slow times, a strain to even be able to step away for one minute with the chance of being flooded with streams of customers on all fronts, and a residual impact of extra customers through the weekend, as people have come in to visit family and friends. By no means am I truly a "People Person", and this is not looking to be a helpful scenario.
I've hated working holidays, parades, and festivals for some time. Even game days for local school teams are arduous and ill-fated provided I have to deal with the backlash of people swarming the scene the minute halftime approaches or the game ends. Grill work provides no better feeling as the table erupts in a haze of sandwich wrappers, meats, and cheese, and the grill gets covered with raw and cooked meat until the hours are up and either someone takes your place or you close.
It's safe to say people should cook out on the fourth, but that congregation that seeks local fireworks in a public area end up starving their night away until finally they relinquish their vile feelings of hunger with a burger from the local fast food joint, tightly packed in a wrapper and half-falling over. Complaints are caught within the congested traffic of a drive-thru, especially by those intoxicated after a night of party and poppers. These are people I wish would find solace in an out-of-town fireworks show or the favor of their own backyard.
Well, anyway, the night will usually hit peak times roughly halfway through evening until close. It's normally a good seven or eight hours of grueling away at a grill, or half-smiling at people you wish would just choose to go to the fast food place across the street, or just go home to sleep. However, this is the job, and what a job it is.
While this is the first post in a long time, I do plan on returning to form with weekly or bi-weekly inserts. If you would like to read more, please follow me here on my site by saving it to a bookmark and checking in regularly, or following my social media on facebook or twitter. Thank you for your time. If you'd like to support my efforts to relinquish myself from this disgusting job to follow more of a passion in writing and continuing school, I will be linking a patreon by the next post. Thank you once again for the time and I hope you all have a great day!
If you are reading this before the 4th or any other holiday, I hope you go forward with your plans responsibly and that you have a safe and fun time! Just please don't show up at my store when you're hungry. Cook burgers with your friends or family or, hell, even just alone.
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