I don't know why I even bother being honest.

I mean, seriously.  I am in danger of losing my job as a server at Olive Garden just because the boss discovered I had twenty extra dollars on my person.  He claims it is his.  I say nothing doing.  

A customer had given me a tip after I waited hand and foot on him.  You know, show "Hospitaliano", which is Italian for "Hospitality".  You get the customer what they need: extra breadsticks or salad.  Refilling their drink glass.  Bringing extra napkins, more silverware.  I did my job; I did what was expected of me.  I was very kind to the man; he obviously enjoyed his meal because he asked for seconds, even thirds!  He was hungry!

Then after the man left, I was clearing off the plates when I discovered the #20.00 bill peeking out from underneath the plate.  I put it in my pocket; I tried not to show too much excitement: didn't want the other servers getting jealous of me for making such a big tip.

After I was done working, I went to the boss, to report my earnings, just as I should always do, when he got angry at me.  He claimed that he'd dropped twenty dollars and he said he saw me pick it up from the floor.  (I had dropped the money while putting it in my pocket.  I was putting it back when he flew into a rage.)

I don't know what Mr. Gristiano's problem was, but apparently he had been having a bad day.  He took it out on me.  And now all of a sudden, I see a possible pink slip looming above me.  He'd been snapping at not just me, but other workers, and even at customers.  He wasn't honoring the "Hospitaliano Way" of doing things; he was being a total buttwipe.  

I do know for a fact that Mr. G. has been having some personal problems; he usually has kept a lid on it, but we suspected something big was going on in his life because he was turning ... well, mean.  Hateful.  Rude.  This wasn't at all like him, and it was starting to make all of us worried.

I just hope that tonight Mr. G. is off tonight and that one of the other bosses (namely Jackie and Sandra) are there.  They are a lot more sensible about things, and they've been at the store longer than Mr. G. has; they know what's going down.  (The original manager, Mr. Domino, had left after his wife had become sick with Alzheimer's; he left so he could take care of her.  That was when Mr. Gristiano entered the picture, and he's nothing like Sandra, Jackie, or Mr. D.  The man is a tyrant and is a horrible manager!)

I don't know what the owners were thinking when they hired Mr. G, but nobody is happy here.  Work has become nothing but a chore; it used to be fun, but now it's just ... work.  :( 

~To be continued.~