I graduated last month and recently found a job on a private boat. It’s quite difficult to find a job with my Business Management degree and while I’m looking I’ll be keeping myself busy as a waitress.

I was excited about the job. I thought it would be an amazing adventure on the ocean. I’d get to meet important kind of people with the right connections. Perhaps I would find some business adventures as well.

Anthea, the woman who would be showing me around and guiding me throughout the whole trip, took me to a man I didn’t know.

“This is Mark. He’s our manager and also a chef,” Anthea pointed out a young, tall, handsome man who was lighting the stoves.

He greeted me, holding out his hand towards me. I greeted back and smiled as we shook hands.

“Welcome to the team. If you are not sure about anything, please feel free to ask,” he said politely.

I thanked him and told him I’d definitely do that. Anthea introduced me to the rest of the staff. The bartender, dishwasher, cleaner and the boat controller. There weren’t many of us as the boat was small and could transport a maximum of five people – sometimes just one or two, whoever hired it.

The two gentlemen that hired the boat had arrived earlier. They were businessmen who had business in Algeria. After they had settled in, they went to the dining area where I gave them food menus so that they could place an order. The boat had been sailing for almost three hours. I couldn’t feel the movement of the boat, it was like we were still at the harbour.

“You should go and take their drinks order first if they are not ready to place an order for their meals,” said Anthea. She gave me an order for my first duty as a waitress.

“Alright,” as I nodded, wiggling my eyebrows. I went closer to their table.

“Hello gentlemen. My name is Spheh, and I’ll be your server.” I smiled while the one Indian gentlemen on the left nodded weakly. The other black gentlemen kept looking at the menu.

“May I get you guys some drinks whilst you are still deciding on your meals,” I suggested.

“Lady, please. Can’t you give us some space to decide without you interrupting us?” The black man responded with an insolent gesture.

For a minute I had thought that I was in the wrong.

“Uhmm, I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

“It’s okay. You can get me a beer, draught please,” the Indian man chipped in. At least he had some manners.

“Make that two draughts, please,” he added.

“Okay,” I smiled.

I walked away with a smile towards the bar area where I had told the bartender to pour me two beer draughts.

“Are you alright?” he asked me while he poured the first draught.

“Yeah, everything is good,” I hadn’t let the black man ruin my mood with his attitude. If the Indian man had been like him, I’d probably be feeling irritated.

“If they are giving you trouble you tell me and I’ll sort them out with my forehead,” he teased since he had a big forehead.

“I will keep that in mind,” I grinned.

He handed over the draughts on a tray.

“Thank you,” I said and I went back to the table with the drinks.

“Here you go gentlemen,” I said, putting the glasses on the table.

The black man took a close look at his glass and spotted a finger mark. It was probably mine or the bartender’s.

“What is this uh?” his eyes looked dangerous, which made me nervous.

“You bringing my beer and a filthy glass like this? Who the hell do you think I am?” he asked me, leaving me confused.

While he had his gaze on me waiting for an answer the Indian man suggested they should swap glasses. I thought he sensed it was my first day on the job. The black man accepted his suggestion even though he wasn’t happy about it.

“Alright, I think we ready to order now,” the Indian man said tilting his head with a lovely smile. For a moment I wished he had come alone.

“Alright,” I muttered.

“Can I please have a T-Bone steak with a greek salad?” ordered the Indian man.

“How would you like your T-Bone to be cooked Sir?” I asked.

“Medium rare please.”

I nodded yes.

The way he had manners, you’d swear I was at his level. He knew how to speak to people. I looked at the black man with a smile, trying not to show him that I was irritated at his manners.

The black man said, “I want this half chicken with chips.”

“Would you like it in BBQ or Peri Peri?” I asked.

“BBQ? Do I look like a sissy to you? Make it a Peri Peri as a man should have.”

I couldn’t wait to get away from that man. I told them their meal should be ready within 20 minutes before I took the menus from the table.

“Make it snappy. And make sure those plates are clean,” the black man snapped again with a sign that if I don’t get it right, he’d beat me to death.

I found it strange for a black man to be so full of himself like that to another black person. An attitude like that I’d expect from the Indian man.

I scurried to the kitchen to place an order with Mark.

“You did well,” he said.

“If only you knew how rude that guy was,” I responded, rolling my eyes.

Anthea came in with a loud laugh, clapping her hands. “Don’t worry girl. You’ll get used to people like that,” she said as she put her arm around my shoulder.

I smiled weakly.

“She’s right. Just don’t let it get to you personally,” Mark advised me. He took out the T-Bone and the half chicken from the fridge and smoked them on the griller.

***

Tell us: How would you react if you encountered such a rude person?