There has been response to my wife's recent FB post: "Self defense is the natural reaction to protect yourself if someone attack or intimidate you. I think that is the right way to fight back and face the problems, not just let it go or swallow the the bully. I am glad you guys, truly friends, around me and to count on with. There is no word to express how grateful and thankful to what you guys did today. The bravery and justice is really touching e when I saw through my eyes..."
Okay, for starters, she actually has FB friends who are attacking her English. English isn't her first language. Those that are attacking live in Taiwan and are native speakers of English. If they were to pony up in Chinese, my wife would not take the same tact. I know that. She would simply read the comments and try to add to the dialogue in a polite way, as she is a polite person. She would not mock them as they mock her.
I am going to talk about what went down. A customer entered our restaurant last night. He had been drinking beer and spirits. He informed us that he wanted wine because he had gout, and couldn't take any more beer. A couple of bottles of vino later, he was on his way to Frankie's Pie Bar. Around twenty minutes later, he re-entered our fold. He was not a happy customer now. In fact, he was smashing down his fist on our bar and demanding justice from Frankie who, it seemed, had simply gotten tired of his tiresome behavior and given him the boot.
I was too busy to really pay attention. I did talk to him about chilling, and said if he had a problem with another outfit, why not bring it up there. Then I went about my business. About ten minutes later, he was on his back on the floor, kicking his feet around. Why? Because he had tried to slap an off-duty cop and had had his ass handed to him.
I don't really have a problem with this individual. He showed up two times tonight to apologize. He is stressed I will ban him from our establishment, but that won't happen just yet. He's just on thin ice; his appearance today can't hurt him in solidifying his position. People can be evil when they drink; it is as simple as that.
Our restaurant is for people to relax. Leave the other stuff at the door.
8 comments:
He got arrested and came around yesterday to appologise. I did kick him out twice on Saturday evening. He wanted to fight me, but when I came out from behind the bar, he ran away. Some people just should not drink. To those criticizing your wifes English, get some lessons in manners. She is an amazingly kind and friendly person and would never even think to do that to another. Communication is about understanding not fluency. Frank.
hi Patrick. you have the patience of Job, apparently, because drunks are one thing that i have no tolerance for. i would have pool-Q'ed him.
i can't believe that native English speakers are criticizing your wife's use of English! i've never had a Taiwanese person call me out on my Chinese, and i can't imagine doing that to someone. it takes all kinds, i guess. take care.
Not to excuse anything, but I can sympathize with someone who's had too much to drink, but insulting your wife's English? Really?
He said derogatory things about a female customer. She filmed him saying them. That's why he spent the night in jail. She went to the police station and filed a complaint.
I really didn't like reading this.
Pretty obviously no-one should go around mocking your wife's English. Pretty obviously also, if someone's life is at the point where they are behaving in the fashion you describe, they need to get a grip on themselves. Apologising shows they took the first step towards doing so.
I think I know the guy you're talking about here, and if I'm right about that I'd like to emphasise that this is the first time I'd heard that things had gotten this bad in their life, and that they haven't put me up to coming here to talk on their behalf. However, I'd also like to ask that you give them a shot at not having what seems to have been a very bad moment for them (and everyone else they caused trouble for, obviously) recorded forever like this. At the very least, it would be nice if it wasn't so easy to identify them from the description.
There's been a lot of talk about a "right to be forgotten" recently. I don't believe such a right exists - I've done my share of exposing people whose actions harm others and I don't see why those people are entitled to having what they did forgotten, at least so long as they carry on being a risk to others. But in this case, you obviously didn't want to put their name up so I doubt you wanted them to be identifiable, nor do I believe (unless they have changed completely) that they are a risk to others that people need to be warned against.
Like I said, I didn't like reading this, not least because it's hard to read that a good friend is so obviously in trouble, and to find it out on a blog like this.
FOARP,
Thanks for your insight. You don't know who I am telling to get stuffed, I am sure. There simply is no way. But I am happy to read what you have written. We've been at odds from time to time. Thanks.
OK, but if that's the case, then the bit about their medical condition sounds an awful lot like someone I know - there can't be many Taiwan-based expats with this condition, anyway. Maybe change it a bit to protect the innocent?
Sorry, Gil.
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