Incident at Popeye's - How Do You Respond?

[RunDownHouse]

Dementia,

That is demonstrably NOT how you feel about it.

[CharlieDontSurf]

It doesn't matter if the guy is 300 pounds.
If he starts any actual physical [censored] with you...kick him in the balls and then repeat if he tries to get up

[Dementia]

[ QUOTE ]
Dementia,

That is demonstrably NOT how you feel about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sir,

I have stated from my first reply that the OP should respond to the verbal attacks by telling the guy to calm down, that he hasn't done anything wrong.

I also stated that, by this logic, I would not care if I got smacked around should my efforts to stand up for myself fail in trying to calm the guy down.

And that should the guy swing at me, all you can do is defend yourself and hope not to get banged up too bad. People smell fear sometimes, and the best thing you can do at times is let them know you aren't a pushover, it doesn't require an array of karate moves, sometimes a simple 'hey, I got no problem with you, chill out' can get it done too.

Saying something back definitely beats just keeping your mouth shut and getting walked on.

[Genz]

You are creating a whole new situation that calls for different actions to make people who opted for a more passive action against a probably sick man in a completely different setup look like fools. Of course you do something else when he takes a knife and starts to rape a guest. But when someone is yelling at me who is obviously out of his mind and everybody can easily see it, there is no need to "stand up for myself" because I have not been put down and I have not lost my dignity. I look down on people who are so taken by themselves that they think they need to attack a sick guy who obviously doesn't know what he's doing and show some testosterone and machismo instead of having the strength to just ignore him and get the whole thing over with like adults would do.
I wouldn't get my hands dirty just to show some psycho what a strong guy I am. I would rather care about getting him some help than insulting him.

Edit: Self defense when he tries to hit me is a whole different story of course.

[BPA234]

Depending on my mood, I either apologize and offer to buy him lunch, move away from him and exit, or immediately disable him. Since I always feel depressed after violence, I would definitely prefer the first two choices. Beating up mentally-ill, homeless people is not exactly a test of manhood. I would have to be in a very black mood to want to go the violent route.

[A S U]

[ QUOTE ]
Depending on my mood, I either apologize and offer to buy him lunch , move away from him and exit, or immediately disable him. Since I always feel depressed after violence, I would definitely prefer the first two choices. Beating up mentally-ill, homeless people is not exactly a test of manhood. I would have to be in a very black mood to want to go the violent route.

[/ QUOTE ]

HEY STFU OR I'M GONNA RIP YOUR [censored] FACE OFF.

Chipotle tommorrow?

[BPA234]

....sardonic humor pwns.

[Apoc]

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. I'll keep them in mind for the next time, and as anyone who has wandered around San Francisco can attest to, there will be a next time.

After the guy confronted me a little more aggressively, I made eye contact with the manager behind the counter and maneuvered out of the corner where I was standing so that I would have a path to the door, while telling the guy "I don't want any trouble" in what sounded to me like a stern voice but probably sounded more whiny and a little freaked out in real life.

The manager came over and told the guy that I hadn't said anything and that I was just waiting for my meal. The crazy guy didn't seem to really believe the manager, but I think the cashiers had hurried up my order at that point, because they handed it to me and I got the hell out of there, with a little glance over my shoulder to make sure the guy wasn't following me back to my office.

The situation made me think, though, so I was curious what OOT's opinion would be. One thing it definitely made me realize is what a crap job working at any fast food joint must be in any big city, with crazy people coming in all the time that you have to deal with. I have a new-found respect for the folks at my Popeye's and the situations they must have to handle - I almost wish they put out a tip jar, so I could thank them with more than kind words and thoughts. Maybe I'll write a letter to Popeye's corporate telling them how much I appreciate their employee stepping in.

Any other ideas for how I can say thanks for what I consider going above and beyond the call of duty for a normal fast food employee?

Apoc

[ThomB]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for everyone's thoughts. I'll keep them in mind for the next time, and as anyone who has wandered around San Francisco can attest to, there will be a next time.

After the guy confronted me a little more aggressively, I made eye contact with the manager behind the counter and maneuvered out of the corner where I was standing so that I would have a path to the door, while telling the guy "I don't want any trouble" in what sounded to me like a stern voice but probably sounded more whiny and a little freaked out in real life.

The manager came over and told the guy that I hadn't said anything and that I was just waiting for my meal. The crazy guy didn't seem to really believe the manager, but I think the cashiers had hurried up my order at that point, because they handed it to me and I got the hell out of there, with a little glance over my shoulder to make sure the guy wasn't following me back to my office.

The situation made me think, though, so I was curious what OOT's opinion would be. One thing it definitely made me realize is what a crap job working at any fast food joint must be in any big city, with crazy people coming in all the time that you have to deal with. I have a new-found respect for the folks at my Popeye's and the situations they must have to handle - I almost wish they put out a tip jar, so I could thank them with more than kind words and thoughts. Maybe I'll write a letter to Popeye's corporate telling them how much I appreciate their employee stepping in.

Any other ideas for how I can say thanks for what I consider going above and beyond the call of duty for a normal fast food employee?

Apoc

[/ QUOTE ]

Let him slip it in your wifes/gfs pooper! It's the least you can do.

[heater]

I could pretty easily kill your average 6'2" 180 pound crazy guy. That said, I would much rather get my food ASAP and go about enjoying a nice quiet lunch. It has nothing to do with being a pussy or not standing up for yourself or all of the other [censored] a couple of you idiots are spewing here. It has everything to do with the fact that there is nothing to be gained from getting in this guy's face and turning this into a physical confrontation where I beat the [censored] out of some random street guy who hears voices.