amazngj's Diaryland Diary

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Politically incorrect (you've been warned)

I need more retarded people.

Actually, I would love to staff my restaurant with any handicapped minority. Well, almost any, I would have a hard time finding somewhere to put a quadrapalegic. I've worked with a few hearing impaired and a few mentally impaired individuals, and I honestly feel that they are better workers than any other set of peoples.

Maybe it's because they have more to prove, maybe they're just more thankful to be hired because they typically get overlooked in the hiring process. Maybe it's because they are more task oriented and less likely to be lazy and distracted by whatever seems to prevent the rest of my employees (and managers) from doing their jobs.

Today I called in one of the night time customer service attendants (that's the politically correct term for busboy) who happens to be mentally impaired. The day shift was thrilled with him because he kept up the dishtank, kept them supplied with fresh bustubs and frequently checked on the floor to ensure that the other CSA (Customer Service Attendant) was keeping up with the tables. They wanted to keep him and I told them that we were only borrowing "John" from night shift, and we would have to give him back at the end of the day. One employee remarked, "The fact that he was hired gives me light at the end of the tunnel that we might hire good workers."

I remember when I first interviewed him, and set him up for a second interview with my AGM (Assistant General Manager) she actually called me at home to ask me if I knew that he was "a bit slow." The next day I lectured her on discrimination and told her the value of the handicapped work force. He was hired and we are all much happier.

I should ammend my opening statement to clarify the difference between the mentally handicapped and the logically absent employees that I have, because I have been known to refer to many of my employees as being retarded. I need to make the distinction between when I am being sincere and when I am being durragatory when I call people retarded. There definately is a "good retarded" like "John" and a "bad retarded" like the rest of nightshift with three or four exceptions.

With my crackdown on foul language in the back of the house, I am unable to refer to them as "f*cking stupid people" anymore, and I think I end up at the same dilemna when I make references to "evolutionarily challenged."

As I ponder ways to refer to people, I merely offer this humble suggestion to people who are in a position to staff local area businesses. Hire the mentally challenged, but make sure they have documentation to prove it.

17:00 - 16 June 2005

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