Whatever Happened to Common Manners?

I went to our local Quizno's tonight to get sandwiches for my husband, four kids, niece, and myself. I let a nice couple go ahead of me, as I knew it would take a while to get my order filled. It was nearly closing time, and I put myself last in line. After waiting on the little lady in front of me to make up her mind (which was no small feat), even though I was hungry, and I could feel my stomach eating itself in protest, I managed a somewhat sincere smile. It took her about 8 minutes to order a sandwich. "Geez," I thought, "it's about time!"

As I stepped forward, feeling bad for being inwardly impatient, I began to place my order. You can imagine, with all the "hold the mayo" and "add onion" requests for the seven of us, it took a while. About ten minutes into it, a sweet-looking older man came in with is wife. She appeared tired and looked down at her feet a lot, I noted by her reflection in the glass. As I neared the end of my order, the man behind me began to wave his arms in a circular motion, as if to say, "move it along..."

Feeling bad that my order was taking so long to place, I prefaced my last item with the announcement, "...and last but not least...." as the sandwich maker pulled bread from a drawer to begin. The man behind me groaned loudly, grabbed his wife by the arm, and said loudly (and obnoxiously) "GOOD BYE!". His wife kept walking (I assume embarrassed, but I could be wrong) and went on outside. He then turned around, came back, and said, "You know, it's just rude to take this long in line. I would have liked to have eaten tonight." I looked at him, as he chose to stalk off and said, sincerely, " Sorry I put you out." The othre sandwich maker, a sweet girl who hasn't been there long, followed the script for a dissatisfied customer and offered naively, "Have a nice night, we're sorry." He turned around, stalked back, and put his finger over the counter in her face and told her he would bet he could have her ass fired just like that (snapping his fingers). As he leaned in, her eyes got huge with fear, and he started to say something else. I put my face very near his cheek, as he was facing her, and I was facing his profile, and said, "Hey! I said it! Why are you getting on her? Your problem is with me, buddy!" He turned around to me and I told him that I was sorry it took so long, but I had seven to feed. He told me that wasn't his problem. At this point, I am angry. I tell him, that no, rudeness is much more his problem than anything. His rage escalated. So did mine (very uncharacteristically). I told him I had the right to feed my kids too, and that he simply had the misfortune of getting behind someone with a long order in line. There was no reason that I could not have pleasant conversation with the staff as they made my sandwiches. Most people can talk and make a sandwich at the same time (he accused them of just chit chatting with me and wasting time).

He growled at me menacingly, and began to threaten everyone in the place with losing their jobs when he calls the district manager. Finally, the shift manager tells him to go home and TRY to enjoy the rest of his night, and he stalks out wildly. He stood by the entry door outside, staring in at me with crossed arms. I finished paying for my order, squared my shoulders and gave him the most withering look I could muster. I began to stalk towards the door. As he realized I was not intimidated, he grimaced and walked away, defeated and angry, before I could even get the door open.

Now, is it really rude for me to go and make a large order? I tip very well, I am pleasant, and though I get there late, I do get there in time to get my order done before they close. I let others go in front of me, because I know it will take a while. I don't know how I could be any more considerate, other than to stand there quietly and pretend that the people making my sandwiches are somehow not smart enough to speak and make a sandwich at the same time. As if my asking how classes are going is such a thought provoking question as to slow down how fast the meat is weighed before putting it on my bread. Personally, I am offended if clerks and other staff at businesses are not somewhat friendly or at least pleasant, but evidently that was a mortal sin, and rude to boot to this man.

As he stood there blustering and attempting to be intimidating, something within me snapped, and I felt I had to take up for the nice new sandwich girl, and for my right to not cook for a night, despite how many sandwiches a sandwich shop might be required to make for me in order that I might escape my domestic routine. I understand that you shouldn't confront these people due to dangers of psychotic breaks, stalkers, and inexplicably violent behavior, but I can't STAND to see people act this way. Who does this man think he is, that he expects me to not feed my whole family because it is inconvenient for him? Had I not been in mid-order, I would have very probably asked him and his wife to please go ahead of me. I am all for freedom of speech, and the freedom to make one's self look like whatever stubborn species of the animal kingdom that one wants (hee haw!), but I sure wish people would realize that because you have the right to act a certain way, doesn't mean you should. Being an adult over the age of, oh, say, TWELVE should make this behavior inexcusable. Being human and imperfect, we should all realize that we probably do something that irritates others. Someone is probably sitting at home right now, reading this, and thinking how I get on their nerves tremendously. Who has four kids and feeds a fifth? And if so, WHY IN THE WORLD put the rest of the community out by attempting to get take-out sandwiches for them? I guess I didn't see the sign that limited me to two sandwiches per customer. To those, people, you have my sincere apologies for getting on your nerves. I hope you can forgive me, as I will eventually forgive this man. Until then, I have the freedom to rant about it on the Internet. Road Ragers, look out. Impatient Idiots threaten to make you the new minority in the world of undisciplined, moronic idiots. And if they don't like what I have to say, they too, can exercise their freedom of speech to rant back.