Back in the early 1990’s I worked as waiter for Pappasito’s, a Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin, Texas. It was after I graduated from Baylor with a degree in Philosophy, with not a clue as to what I wanted to do with my life. Kind of ironic that I got the very degree which keeps asking instead of answering.
Pappasito’s was a well-run restaurant and we served patrons from all walks of life. I had people who would come in sit at my table and munch on the free chips and salsa and then leave. But the worst experience I had weren’t those freeloaders. No siree, the worst was when I waited on a very famous baseball player who, when he came in many of the other waiters and waitresses knew right away who he was, except for me.
For the sake of avoiding rumors and “dirt” which can so often be spread rapidly through the web, I will not mention his name as he’s still an active player today.
Getting back to my story, he came in with his family and their entourage. They sat down and started talking and sharing stories but had no idea what they wanted. This was fine as many people don’t when they go out to eat. As I’m taking their orders, some knew what they wanted while the others kept talking. So I stepped back to give them some time and space. Feeling like I wasn’t properly catering them, his wife snapped her fingers and summoned me, “Hey, you!”
I guess I hadn’t served many celebrities before because I was thinking, “I know she didn’t snap her fingers at me.” But to my suprise, she did.
That was 15 years ago and it’s still fresh in my mind. Why? Because of how she made me feel.
I honestly don’t care if they had been rich or poor, famous or unknown. What bothered me more than anything was the idea that she felt like she could treat people a certain way once her husband made it - i.e. become rich and famous.
I’ve been fortunate in my life because I’ve never been poor, but I’ve also never been rich. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle. What I have found is that money and power sometimes bring out the worst in people. It turns some people arrogant and self-serving. Not all, just some.
Have you ever met anyone famous (celebrity, athlete, politician, etc.)? What was their attitude towards you like? How did they treat you? Was your experience with them positive or negative?
January 26th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I think you’re wise not to share the name of the person, as I think that is the enlightened move.
It does not surprise me that you still remember this one gesture 15 years ago. Acts of disregard towards us sometimes become singed in our minds. People should know that their behavior towards others is substantial.
You know, I’m not so convinced that she began to think she could treat people a certain way once her husband made it. I don’t see it that way. For someone to act in such a disgusting way is something that may have been there all along. Why should her behavior change towards her fellow man just because her husband became famous? I will assume she acted that way because thats the way she chose to act, not because her husband is famous.
January 27th, 2008 at 12:32 am
I really appreciate your insights Bamboo. I believe you’re right. I think that she might have had that attitude long before her husband became famous and that his notoriety somehow made her bad attitude more obvious. Perhaps, in her own mind, his fame and fortune gave her the “green light” to behave badly and that she somehow felt entitled to treat others that way.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:15 am
I love this post, Steve. For some months now I’ve been thinking of a post similar in nature. About how I am not easily impressed by fame…about how I’m basically a “nobody”, but weren’t all “somebody’s” nobody once? I don’t know, I can’t get it all straight yet, but it’ll get out one day.
James took me to some southern CA beach city one day and we went to lunch at some fancy shmancy restaurant. I felt so out of place as we walked in. There were white tablecloths and well dressed guests…and I was in overalls. But our server was wonderful. He sat us at a nice window table and treated us like we belonged there. He didn’t bat an eye at my middle class garb. On the other end of the spectrum: James took me to eat at a nice little restaurant in Pasadena one night. It wasn’t a really fancy restaurant, but it wasn’t Friday’s either. I was probably wearing jeans and a hoodie. We were seated way in the back at an isolated table. The whole meal was very uncomfortable.
A side note: when I was in college I thought about getting a second job as a waitress because I wanted to make people happy.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Deece: They told us while we were in training at Pappasito’s that anyone can serve food, but it’s the dining experience that ultimately brings people back.
February 9th, 2008 at 4:23 am
They were right.