Racist!!!

[jnd4rusty]

I don't post on here often because for the most part my customers are decent, although I do get some sucky customers but they are like most that are posted on here such as talking on the cell phone and EW's but I have to say I am pretty lucky for not having to deal with too many SC's. What happened last night was just too good not to post!!

B/G- I work in a high volume west-mex restaurant and we have an open kitchen which means our steam tables are in full view and hearing distance of the cash registers. Since we are fast food, we hire a diverse crew, people from all races and nationalities, and we all get along because at our store no one cares what race you are, we only care that you can do the job! end B/G.

Me
S-who is from Romania
SCM- sucky customer man
SCW- sucky customer's wife

I was cooking on the steamtable and I usually can hear everything that is said at the registers despite the hood fans. S, who is somewhat new was kind of struggling with the registers when her customer spouted this out to her:

SCM- "Are you here legally?"
SCW- "giggles"
S- "um Yes!"
Me - (to myself, "did he just ask that!!") I was floored!

After the rush, I asked S if that is what the guy asked and she said yes, she said that she is used to people being rude like that to her and she made the comment, "Makes you wonder how they were raised!", yes, I agree it sure makes you wonder! Really some people just amaze me!

[Lurking Sockpuppet]

I would have looked at them and said no, then gone back to work.

Michelle

[dragon_wings]

I would have looked at them and said no, then gone back to work.

Michelle

I like this response!

[bainsidhe]

I'm a graduate student at MIT (or whatever techy local college). And you?

[XCashier]

SCM- "Are you here legally?"

"Yes, are you?"

Racist assholes deserve to have it thrown right back at them.

[ozcatbug]

I had a racist situation happen when I was in England. It was just after our store had brought in a heap of Polish workers for the night fill team. I felt a kinship with them as I was a foreigner too, though the British didn't consider me one. Hey, Australian does not equal British, no matter what they think. Plus when the all the Polish staff throughout the store found out I was an Aussie, they would all come to me if they had problems, whether they were in my area or not.

So one night I heard an SC yelling at one of my team members. Being that I was the unofficial team leader (unofficial meaning I wasn't paid for my input, but being I was on the management program I was expected to do the work) I headed to help out. I heard this woman yelling about the store being "overrun with damn foreigners". Now my accent is a typical Aussie accent. Most people think of Steve Irwin when they imagine the Aussie accent, but most of us don't talk like that. Unless we want to .

I came around the corner and saw this woman bailing up our most respected Polish worker. Seriously, this guy was one of the best workers in the store, foreigners and locals combined. He saw me and said to the woman "Maybe Cat can help you." So she turned on me. "She better. Can you speak English?"

That made me mad. Marek could speak English perfectly. In fact he spoke it better than the Greek guy that had been in England for 15 years, and he was heaps better than the Russian guy that had been there 10 years. I even think he was more easily understood than the English guy from Yorkshire. The conversation went on like this.

Me: Yes, I've spoken English all my life. How's it going mate? (At this point I was channeling Steve Irwin. Marek was staring at me since I don't talk like that)
SC: Thank god, an English person. I don't want to be served by any damn foreigners.
Me: Hang on a sec, I'll go see if I can find a Pom. Not too many locals around at nights. It's mostly us foreigners.
SC: Well, you can help me.
Me: Nah, you said you didn't want any foreigners. So I'll go find someone who can help you. Well, they'll be English but I doubt they'll be able to help. There isn't anyone in this department tonight that is English.
SC: But you're English.
Me: Nah mate. I'm just a colonial from down under. (Then I start pointing out our team) She's Scottish, he's Irish, he's Russian, those two are South African, he's Slovakian, those over there are Polish, he's from Ghana, so is she. The guy that you refused to talk to is the second best worker in the department, and I'm the best. Now do you want to talk to an English person, or do you want an answer to your question. And I suggest if you want to talk to an English person, then don't come in to the store at 3am.

Oddly enough she was more polite after that. I am amazed what I got away with. It's like they would excuse anything I did by saying "She's just a colonial. She doesn't know what she's saying." The Irish guy I pointed out was actually the Fresh Produce manager, and he congratulated me later. I did love that part of the job, yelling at SC's and getting away with it.

[Nyoibo]

Ah the joys of being Australian overseas, we seem to be able to get away with a hell of a lot.

[Clover]

Ozcat, dude, that's awesome. I wish I could get away with something like that-though it was a lot of fun being a Texan in Colorado. I got a lot of snide people asking me if I'd ever roped a cow or barrel raced or anything like that, and they were shocked when I told them that yes, in fact, I have, and my dad's a former bullrider, would they like to see pictures of my Mustang named Pecos? Of course I only ride Western!

And I can be perfectly honest about it too-the majority of my family fits perfectly into the old-fashioned Texas Rancher type. XD It's fun. I'd love to do that in England where their ideas of us Texans are even more cowboy movie-ish!

[Frantic Freddie]

Bartender,bring ozcat whatever they want to drink,on my tab...

[Seshat]

Even Steve Irwin's kids don't sound like that. (I don't know about Mr Irwin himself, when he's off camera.)

My niece and nephew went to the same primary school as the Irwin kids.

[RetailWorkhorse]

I've been called racist before, many many times (I'm not racist, I just don't understand what you're saying when you speak in something OTHER than English. That doesn't make me racist, that makes you stupid, especially when you say in perfectly unaccented English that I should know how to speak such-n-such-a-language. Dick).

I hate everyone equally. Especially THAT DICKWEED. *Points at the dickweed that tried to scam the store*

[Ironclad Alibi]

SCM- "Are you here legally?"

Witty reply: (Whispering) No. I snuck in here an hour ago and just started working the register. I don't think they've noticed me yet cause they haven't said anything about it."

[Sunshine]

i had people asking me that about my exhusband. i laughed and said "i'm pretty sure his family was here before mine came over." spanish/mexican versus irish/english....and would laugh at them

[Teefies2]

Sadly, Mr Irwin died But I did love his accent and his shows!

[tropicsgoddess]

Loved the comeback you gave those racist assholes, Ozcat! It's appaling to say the least how racist people can still be.