What. The. Fuck.
It was poker night at Pasquini's. We weren't sure if we'd have enough people, so I decided to invite Kenn. He's fun and spontaneous. I figured he'd be up for it.
Sure enough he came to the restaurant, and immediately he started talking shit about everyone.
Me: "That's Stacy, and that's her fiance Mike..."
Kenn: "He sure looks like marriage material."
Me: "What the fuck do you mean by that?"
He went on to accuse Lindsey of being rude because she supposedly didn't say hello when he opened the door for her. (her exact words were "thank you", actually) He then asked me if I was still seeing "that pussy little fucking faggot Dru."
I have never known Kenn to be in such a foul mood, but I know he is quite the satirist so I thought maybe this was just some type of sarcasm I wasn't getting. Still, it was bothering me quite a bit so I asked him to please either let me in on the joke or knock it off. He said he was sorry and would lighten up.
He had told me previously he did not know how to play Hold'em, but he knew how to play poker in general. It's not hard to pick up if you know the values of the hands and all the basics, and it's not like any of us are professionals or anything, so everyone was totally cool with the fact that he was learning and was really friendly and helpful. Kenn, on the other hand, was not friendly at all and was not acting like himself. He was being obnoxious and bolligerent, and at times just flat-out rude. He said a few things that only I heard, sort of passive-aggressively suggesting he was above all of us because we were restaurant workers. He's never taken that position before, and in fact has always been very much against any form of judgment, with a very "be true to yourself" outlook on life. He's also usually so quiet you need to poke him to make sure he's still alive. It was bothering me a lot more than it was bothering the other people at the table at first, just because I know him well enough to know how bizarre his behavior was. It was as if he was possessed by an alien entity. His mannerisms were even different. It was one of the strangest things I've ever seen. I asked him several times if he was tripping or if he was on coke or mollie or God knows what. He said he wasn't, but who knows?
Even after I started thinking something was really wrong, Lindsey and Robyn were still giving him the benefit of the doubt, thinking that maybe he was just socially awkward in a large group of strangers. I hoped they were right, even though I've been to parties with him, including one at Pasquini's, where he didn't know anyone and was totally friendly and polite. Along with everyone else, I just tried to have a good time and hoped he wouldn't do anything beyond the level of rudeness he'd already demonstrated. I also really hoped he'd go all in, lose and go home.
It was Jhon to finally say something to him. Kenn had muttered under his breath that we could all go fuck ourselves, so Jhon told him to get the fuck out. Kenn said he was happy to cash out his chips and go home. For a minute I thought they were going to fight, yet somehow Kenn managed to apologize effectively enough that he made peace with Jhon and things seemed ok for a minute. Of course they weren't ok and Kenn's fucked up behavior continued, but he was nearly out so I just waited it out and soon enough he lost his chips. I don't know why he couldn't take a hint, nor why he would want to stay somewhere where he was clearly not wanted, but afterwards he went to the bar instead of leaving. I kept a close eye on the situation from the table and it seemed he and Stacy were just making chit-chat. The game was drawing to a close anyway so I did my best to enjoy myself while still watching him out of the corner of my eye, until finally Leo put both Jhon and I all in and won.
When I went to the bar, Kenn was as hostile as ever, and I told him I did not appreciate him coming to where I work and being rude and judgmental to people who were nothing but nice to him, and who are also people I happen to care about. He got within millimeters of my face and said to me:
"Whatever. You're just a small, small person. That's right, small, and FAT."
At that point I had finally had enough and told him with some serious volume to get the fuck out. Jhon jumped in the second he heard me and assisted Kenn out the door. After the self-restraint he had shown all night, I think he was thrilled at the opportunity to get up in Kenn's face and probably would have liked to beat the crap out of him, which I would just as much have liked to see. Once the door was locked Kenn punched it, and then kicked or punched (I heard but didn't see) one of the lamps out front on our brand new patio. Jhon chased him out and they got into a confrontation that I didn't see, and when he returned he told me Kenn had broken the light bulb. He was going to call the cops but opted not to, stating that it was just 50 cent light bulb. Had I known at the time that he had broken the entire lamp and not just the bulb, I would have called the cops myself.
I have no idea what inspired him to behave that way, nor do I care to. It's always a shame to throw away a friendship, but sometimes a situation is one strike you're out. I'm very appreciative of the understanding of my managers and co-workers, and their position that I do not have to apologize for someone else's behavior, but I still can't help but feel responsible. I guess I shouldn't in the sense that I had no way of knowing he would act that way, but I do in the sense that regardless, he was my guest. As much as I hate the thought of ever communicating with him again, I did send him a message when I learned about the lamp stating that if he does not call the restaurant and arrange to pay for it by Monday, I will press charges. It's not an empty threat. Someone has to pay for the damage he did, and it's not going to be Pasquini's. I know Justin told me not to worry about it, but I'm not going to let a small, independently owned restaurant eat that cost. If I were still at Olive Garden it would be different... I would feel bad but know they could afford it. No, when I get my student loans later this month I will pay for it myself, and I will see to it that Kenn gets charged with destruction of property and I get paid back.
God, what a mess.
Sure enough he came to the restaurant, and immediately he started talking shit about everyone.
Me: "That's Stacy, and that's her fiance Mike..."
Kenn: "He sure looks like marriage material."
Me: "What the fuck do you mean by that?"
He went on to accuse Lindsey of being rude because she supposedly didn't say hello when he opened the door for her. (her exact words were "thank you", actually) He then asked me if I was still seeing "that pussy little fucking faggot Dru."
I have never known Kenn to be in such a foul mood, but I know he is quite the satirist so I thought maybe this was just some type of sarcasm I wasn't getting. Still, it was bothering me quite a bit so I asked him to please either let me in on the joke or knock it off. He said he was sorry and would lighten up.
He had told me previously he did not know how to play Hold'em, but he knew how to play poker in general. It's not hard to pick up if you know the values of the hands and all the basics, and it's not like any of us are professionals or anything, so everyone was totally cool with the fact that he was learning and was really friendly and helpful. Kenn, on the other hand, was not friendly at all and was not acting like himself. He was being obnoxious and bolligerent, and at times just flat-out rude. He said a few things that only I heard, sort of passive-aggressively suggesting he was above all of us because we were restaurant workers. He's never taken that position before, and in fact has always been very much against any form of judgment, with a very "be true to yourself" outlook on life. He's also usually so quiet you need to poke him to make sure he's still alive. It was bothering me a lot more than it was bothering the other people at the table at first, just because I know him well enough to know how bizarre his behavior was. It was as if he was possessed by an alien entity. His mannerisms were even different. It was one of the strangest things I've ever seen. I asked him several times if he was tripping or if he was on coke or mollie or God knows what. He said he wasn't, but who knows?
Even after I started thinking something was really wrong, Lindsey and Robyn were still giving him the benefit of the doubt, thinking that maybe he was just socially awkward in a large group of strangers. I hoped they were right, even though I've been to parties with him, including one at Pasquini's, where he didn't know anyone and was totally friendly and polite. Along with everyone else, I just tried to have a good time and hoped he wouldn't do anything beyond the level of rudeness he'd already demonstrated. I also really hoped he'd go all in, lose and go home.
It was Jhon to finally say something to him. Kenn had muttered under his breath that we could all go fuck ourselves, so Jhon told him to get the fuck out. Kenn said he was happy to cash out his chips and go home. For a minute I thought they were going to fight, yet somehow Kenn managed to apologize effectively enough that he made peace with Jhon and things seemed ok for a minute. Of course they weren't ok and Kenn's fucked up behavior continued, but he was nearly out so I just waited it out and soon enough he lost his chips. I don't know why he couldn't take a hint, nor why he would want to stay somewhere where he was clearly not wanted, but afterwards he went to the bar instead of leaving. I kept a close eye on the situation from the table and it seemed he and Stacy were just making chit-chat. The game was drawing to a close anyway so I did my best to enjoy myself while still watching him out of the corner of my eye, until finally Leo put both Jhon and I all in and won.
When I went to the bar, Kenn was as hostile as ever, and I told him I did not appreciate him coming to where I work and being rude and judgmental to people who were nothing but nice to him, and who are also people I happen to care about. He got within millimeters of my face and said to me:
"Whatever. You're just a small, small person. That's right, small, and FAT."
At that point I had finally had enough and told him with some serious volume to get the fuck out. Jhon jumped in the second he heard me and assisted Kenn out the door. After the self-restraint he had shown all night, I think he was thrilled at the opportunity to get up in Kenn's face and probably would have liked to beat the crap out of him, which I would just as much have liked to see. Once the door was locked Kenn punched it, and then kicked or punched (I heard but didn't see) one of the lamps out front on our brand new patio. Jhon chased him out and they got into a confrontation that I didn't see, and when he returned he told me Kenn had broken the light bulb. He was going to call the cops but opted not to, stating that it was just 50 cent light bulb. Had I known at the time that he had broken the entire lamp and not just the bulb, I would have called the cops myself.
I have no idea what inspired him to behave that way, nor do I care to. It's always a shame to throw away a friendship, but sometimes a situation is one strike you're out. I'm very appreciative of the understanding of my managers and co-workers, and their position that I do not have to apologize for someone else's behavior, but I still can't help but feel responsible. I guess I shouldn't in the sense that I had no way of knowing he would act that way, but I do in the sense that regardless, he was my guest. As much as I hate the thought of ever communicating with him again, I did send him a message when I learned about the lamp stating that if he does not call the restaurant and arrange to pay for it by Monday, I will press charges. It's not an empty threat. Someone has to pay for the damage he did, and it's not going to be Pasquini's. I know Justin told me not to worry about it, but I'm not going to let a small, independently owned restaurant eat that cost. If I were still at Olive Garden it would be different... I would feel bad but know they could afford it. No, when I get my student loans later this month I will pay for it myself, and I will see to it that Kenn gets charged with destruction of property and I get paid back.
God, what a mess.