When I was fifteen and a half, I started working evenings at McDonald's. As soon as I turned 16, I had my own car and license. I worked evenings, usually 5-10pm. So, after work it was always dark out when I had to go to my car. My dad made me carry pepper spray with me just in case. I worked with this black guy (we will call "DM" for name purposes) who was about 24 years old at the time, at least a whole foot taller than me, and about 90 pounds heavier. (He was all muscle). He also wreaked of BO all the time. He somehow got latched on to me. He would always say things like, "I'm going to kidnap you and make you my wife and you're totally going to love it." He would also try to hug me all the freaking time. I hated going to work because I hated when he talked about me like that and said those things made my stomach cringe and I thought I was going to suffocate every single time he tried to hug me. This went on for a couple months. A lot of my fellow employees noticed it, but never said anything. The managers didn't know because they weren't really around when he would talk to me like that.
Well, one night I clocked out at 10pm, and walked back to the crew room to get my car keys and jacket out of my locker. The crew room only has one entrance/exit and is right next to back cash. Well, DM was working in back cash that night. I'm trying to get my jacket on when he stands in the doorway with his arms open. "Hey how about a goodbye hug from my babygirl?" I felt my heart start racing like holy cow I am so terrified right now and I am blocked in and I'm trapped. I race to grab my keys out of my pocket and flip open my pepper spray tab and hold it up pointed at him and say, "If you don't back up, I am going to pepper spray you." And then instantly I got the, "aw dude come on, don't be like that. I'll tell a manager" as he holds his hands up in that woah woah hand motion. He starts backing up and I literally sprint out of the crew room and run outside without saying goodbye to anybody and get in my car and speed home.
When I got home I told my parents about this guy. (My mom works mornings at the same McDonald's I work at, so she knows the managers, but she doesn't know this guy because he only works nights). My dad was so angry about how this 24 year old spoke to me and that it was so inappropriate that I had to like restrain my dad from going up to McDonald's right then and there to like beat the crap out of this guy.
The next morning my mom went into work and told the store manager. He completely agreed that this kid acted inappropriately and that he would make sure all the managers knew. I worked later that evening, and DM happened to be working again too. As soon as I clocked in my one favorite manager comes over to me and goes, "Don't worry, I know all about it. We are going to make sure you two don't work near each other. And we are going to walk you to your car at the end of your shifts, okay?"
So I was so happy that the situation was taken seriously. I still had to see that guy at work unfortunately, but they kept us separated as best as possible. The managers also told me I was given permission to pepper spray him if needed.
A few short weeks later he ended up being fired because he sucks at his job.
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Fast forward to about six months ago. We have all new managers at our store now. One day I walk into work to see DM working. My heart dropped and I felt completely sick to my stomach. They rehired DM. After my shift I told my mom they rehired him. She was not too happy about that.
So, I told the manager who hired him and the new store manager about what had happened before. The hiring manager told me if anything happens to tell him and he will personally fire him on the spot.
Two weeks later they fired DM because he didn't listen to the managers. The hiring manager came up to me and gave me a hug and said he was so happy he got to fire him and that there was nothing to worry about anymore because he took care of it for me.
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If anyone has a story they want to share with me, feel free to comment below.
-Bay
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