Sorry for not posting for a while. I've just been very busy with other projects and physical issues which have left me with little time. FYI - I've added a post that lists all the characters in these stories. Whenever I mention someone new, I'll be sure to add that along. In the mean time, the link is in the menu on the right side of the page ("The Cast of THE WAITRESS FROM HELL).

I never thought I saw real cruelty until I witnessed what happened this one particular day. Eric is a nice guy and really gets along with the staff - especially the Mexicans. He is always helpful and respecting of them (and everyone else) and he is a good guy to work with. Of all the people I've worked with over the years, I thing Eric is the most honest and loyal. It would be a pleasure and an honor to work for someone like that.

The only problem is that Eric has a very bad back. Injured it years ago when he was in a car accident and has had a series of operations on it since. We all know that he has this problem and we are careful not to have him do any of the heavy lifting, or physical jobs.

About 6 months ago, Eric was limping slightly and when I asked him what was wrong, he simply said his back was out and he was hurting. I suggested he go home, but he felt he could hold out. But throughout the day, you could see him suffering. Finally, at about 1:30 (his shift ended at 3), he turned to me and said he was done for the day. THE BOSS was there and he told Eric to go on home.

I didn't expect to see Eric the next morning, but there he was. He was still in bad shape, but he confessed that money was tight and he couldn't afford to stay home. Besides, it was payday and he needed his check. I told him I would deposit it for him when I left work (for some reason, he doesn't trust direct deposit). But he wouldn't hear of it. So he stayed. I wished he would have stayed home instead. Had he done that, we could have called Danny to cover for him. Instead, because of his pain, I was forced to do his and my job (Eric really couldn't do more than answer the phones).

I was off the next day, but when I came back two days later, Eric wasn't there. Apparently, he needed a couple of days anyway to heal. But he was back on Thursday and he actually looked better. He said he was still very sore, but he was at least upright. Still, he was walking very gingerly.

But what happened next was shocking. Eric went into the kitchen to get something and Freddie*, one of the Mexicans in the kitchen, thought it would be funny to smack him right across the back. Eric fell to the ground afterward in agony. Marco picked him up and when Eric asked him why he did it, Freddie answered "I din do nuttin." Marco gave Freddie a dirty look, but Eric was furious. He began to yell at him and Freddie just turned away from him and muttered something under his breath.

I was stunned. I've also had problems with Freddie in the past, so I knew my talking to him would do no good. But I did have some choice words with Marco. About 30 minutes later, Eric was standing near me and this time Manny - the Mexican bus boy (a nice guy, but a few bricks short of a load) - walks up to him and smacks him hard on the back, while asking him how he was. It seems that Freddie put Manny up to it.

Well, Eric walked gingerly to a table and sat down and you could see the tears welling up in his eyes. It wasn't his pride that was hurting, but his back. Manny rushed over and begged his forgiveness, but Eric was in way too much pain to care.

But that wasn't the worst part. As soon as Diane (you knew she would make an appearance) saw Eric crying (well, whimpering is more like it), she started to call him a "baby." Every time she walked by him, she would say something like "is the little baby ok?" or "oh, did the little baby get a boo-boo?"

You see, Eric is a gentle guy. He doesn't say mean things to people and he can sometimes come across as weak. But he isn't really. Soon, Eddie (Eduardo) was copying her (Eddie is a waiter and is friends with Diane. He works when he feels like it and often takes her side in conflicts. He can be very lazy, though. But is often easy to get along with. He speaks English far better than the other Mexicans, which s why he works out front).

I had enough. I had hoped that THE BOSS (who was sitting right there) would have put a stop to this, but he was just not paying attention. So I told him what was going on and THE BOSS turned to Eric and told him to go home!

That's it? Go home? How about "SHUT THE FUCK UP?" How about "stop acting like a 2-year-old?" Better yet, how about firing Freddie???

"Go home." And he did. And he never came back. Eric realized that working there was hazardous to his health. It took him 3 months to find another job, which unfortunately did not pay as well as this one. I was surprised that he didn't file a lawsuit against THE BOSS and the diner. But knowing Eric, I guess I shouldn't be. But I do miss him. He was a good guy to work with.

*of all the Mexicans, he is the most stereotypical. He is lazy, mean and fat. THE BOSS has threatened to fire him more times than I can remember. But for some reason, he just can’t do it. He is also Marco’s brother-in-law. That may have something to do with it.