“Are you kidding me?” Dan said as he stood, clearly losing control for a moment. He quickly covered his momentary lapse and smiled at the couple. “I will go make you a fresh batch myself folks, be back in a moment.” The couple said nothing they just went back to their menus as though nothing had happened.

Dan went to the back, grabbed the ingredients for the salsa and whipped a fresh batch personally. All the while the rest of us were staring at him, wondering what inhuman amount of willpower it was taking not to lose his temper and simply explode on the couple. He finished the salsa in record time, poured the batch into a five gallon bucket and then ladled out a bowl for the rude couple. He composed himself and went back to the table.

“I just made this fresh for you folks, I have no idea what was wrong with the first two but this cannot be any fresher.” He smiled and set the bowl down. The man put a chip into the bowl and sampled the salsa. Then made a face and flung the bowl onto Dan’s chest, covering his tie and shirt.

“Nope still disgusting, make it again.” The man said. At this point no one in the restaurant, customers included, did not expect Dan to lose his temper and lay into the guy. He simply refused to give in though. He smiled at the couple and walked back towards the salsa prep area. He grabbed the entire five gallon bucket and returned to the table.

“Is this fresh enough for you?” Dan asked as he poured the contents all over the man. He then promptly set the bucket down on the table. “Now get out of my restaurant before I really get mad.” They both looked at him in awe for a moment. When it dawned on them that no one was going to come to their rescue they fled quickly, not even bothering to wipe the salsa off.

Dan wasn’t fired, I have no idea how he escaped that. Though the story was told hundreds of times to new employees and the security footage of the “salsa dump” as it became known was shown almost daily, we never really discussed it with Dan. He felt he had lost that battle and was ashamed of the outcome. I did ask him one time why he felt shame.

“To draw your sword is to lose the battle Andrew.” Was all Dan said. I learned a lot from Dan before I left that restaurant. I still don’t have his patience though.