We learn a new word everyday...,

Everyone from the restaurant learnt a new word just now. Yes, EVERYONE, including me, a chef who's "ABJ" (Australian Born Japanese), and even the younger boss himself whose English is not that bad.

The word was: GRISTLES.

This regular customer whom appears to look like a normal lady but in actual fact she seems to be a little 'looney'. This is not the first time she has filed a complaint against our food when nothing was particularly wrong. This time, she called up at around 8.30pm to make a complaint about the sukiyaki she has ordered at 6.30pm.

Screeched into the phone into my poor ears how more than half the sukiyaki was 'inedible' because they were all GRISTLES. I could have helped her if I knew what the hell 'gristles' mean, but unfortunately I do not. I have never used that word before, and even though it sounded somewhat familiar to me, the meaning I can attach to the word actually meant 'bristles', but that is not what the word was.  

"YOU GOT TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS! THERE IS NO REASON FOR YOU NOT TO KNOW!!!" the customer yelled into the phone. I got so helpless I had to ask her to spell the word out for me. She huffed out those words in frustration, but still I could not help her since I have no idea what that meant, and she offered no explanation or alternative words. But because we were all quite busy, and my senior wasn't around so I was in charge, I decided to take matters to myself. I calmly apologised and told her that there is nothing I can do at that moment because I cannot make a decision, but I will take her number and pass matters to the manager the next day. She calmed down afterwards, though still insisting about her half inedible sukiyaki, she finally let the matter rest after having tortured me. 

Our ABJ chef dictionar-ied the word on his smart phone app and it turned out to be a very simple, more commonly used word: cartilage in meats.  So she meant the meat was very chewy and it contains cartilage. Say so when I didn't understand! It felt like she's trying to challenge my English there.

We have had trouble with this customer on various occasions before, so when I reported to the boss about it, he was not even half concerned. A couple of years ago she came in and ordered food with me, and soon became pissed off for no particular reason, pointing and me and criticising me that I was very rude to "look at her like that". I remember I was dumbfounded with what she meant. Later on, my senior told me that it appears that she has had scars on her face and therefore she is very sensitive with how other people look at her. I argued that I have to look at her whilst taking her order, and I was by no means looking at her in a discriminatory way! Even though I could understand why she felt so sensitive, but then I felt defensive at the same time because I had no intentions to look at her in a different way, but she accused me for having so.

Perhaps it is not entirely fair for me to say this, but then honestly, even though I understand why she is so conscious about her looks, but really, I don't care! I have flaws in my appearance too! I do remember some customers who has some flaws in appearance here and there, but these flaws do not stick to me at all. I wouldn't remember a customer by their flaws. It is actually their PERSONALITY that I remember -- if they are nasty I would remember them, and vice versa.

Anyway, it seems like this customer has since fixed her face a lot as well, because she was absent for a while, and came back with a fresher, but plastic-ky kind of look. She would sometimes still look at you in an accusing manner whilst we take her order, so I have learnt not to look at her for more than 2 seconds before glancing away to my docket. I don't want her to flare up again. Honestly, she looked perfectly normal to anyone who has yet to experience her lashing out at us. 

Oh gosh.... perhaps she is going to either call up, or pop up at the restaurant tomorrow with her beef 'gristles'. She did claim she is going to keep them and show them to us! Either way, I have Wed night off, so glad I wouldn't have to deal with her then!