'You shouldn't be here': Bartender calls in sick, but boss forces him to come to work anyways; gets saved by boss's mother who pulls the 'mom' card to send him home

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jul 21, 2023 7:00 PM EDT

Being sick as a little kid isn't so bad because you have Mom around to feed you soup, press her hand on your forehead, and tuck you in for a nap. If she says you're too sick to go out, you're too sick to go out. As an adult, you're forced to gauge your own illness, which, as mother always said, means you're going to be sick for weeks. In this case, OP tried to do the right thing by calling in sick to work, but his unyielding boss wouldn't allow it. 

OP had lost his voice and been fighting a cold all week, warning his boss days in advance that he would likely still need to recover by the time his shift rolled around. As a bartender, not having your voice is a pretty critical part of your workflow success. After a reminder on the day off, OP received an angry call from his boss who hadn't found someone to cover the shift– he demanded that his bartender come into work anyways. Sick as a dog with a waify whisper as a voice, OP headed into work anyways, finding an unlikely savior in the form of an unruly Karen, a gaggle of tipsy women, and the boss's very own mother. 

Scroll for the juicy details of how OP got saved by his boss's Mommy, proving that a mother's word goes a long way when it comes to the common cold. Next, read about a hardworking nurse who got her work frenemy to quit on the spot after a long dramatic battle. 

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  • 01
    Nose - "You know what, I will go to work but customers won't be happy!"
    via u/canva
  • 02
    Font - Posted by u/Dashie_2010 12 hours ago You want me to come into work while I'm sick, sure! MOC
    via Dashie_2010
  • 03
    Font - This occurred late January this year, I was just laughing about it with a friend who said I should post it here :) Earlier this year I was doing bar work at a small local pub after college, anyway over the weekend
    via Dashie_2010
  • 04
    Font - I'd been helping out at the scout group and through a combo of too much shouting through woods and a rather stressful week of family arguments I slowly and then pretty much completely lost my voice. Sunday evening came and I realised there was no way
    via Dashie_2010
  • 05
    Font - it'd come back for Monday so I sent my boss a text+email to inform him that I wouldn't be in work tomorrow night and why. Monday comes and I get through college, sending him a reminder email and text before 10am as is policy. Around 7pm (my shift
    via Dashie_2010
  • 06
    Font - started at 6;30) I received a call from an angry head chef/boss asking my whereabouts, I had to pass the phone to my sister to talk for me, he then texted me demanding that I come into work. I decided "you know what, I will but customers won't be happy!".
    via Dashie_2010
  • 07
    Font - Went in and sorted the bar and it wasn't long until problems started. First couple of customers just wanted some pints pulled so no need for me to really converse other than motioning at the amount due for payment, then a
    via Dashie_2010
  • 08
    Font - group of already tipsy women wanted a few gins and wines, I couldn't ask them what they wanted or let them know what we had other than gesturing and scribbling on a notepad. This
    via Dashie_2010
  • 09
    Font - group contained a particularly vocal Karen and she had a reputation. She began harrasing me and then turned her attention to the chefs mum as she walked past carrying a food order. She immidiatly noticed me at the bar,
    via Dashie_2010
  • 10
    Font - did a double take and a glance of "You shouldn't be here". She then more or less ordered me home. I ended up with a full shifts pay for 10min of actually being there and was let off until my voice returned. A week and a half later
    via Dashie_2010
  • 11
    Font - one of the serving staff told me about the aftermath, chefs mum had fetched chef from the kitchen and had given him a good telling off in the bar area Infront of customers. This wasn't the first time he'd tried to force staff to come in when they were ill, she also had him personally deal with Karen.
    via Dashie_2010
  • 12
    Rectangle - blackav3nger 12 hr. ago +3. I love it!! Not my ideal repercussions, but not my place to say. I hope that's the last time that cook does something like that.
    via blackav3nger
  • 13
    Font - Scarletwitch713 +1. 11 hr. ago had him personally deal with Karen chefs kiss
    via Scarletwitch713
  • 14
    Font - WorkingInterview1942. 10 hr. ago I love the chefs mom. I had a similar situation but no one would let me go home until my voice returned or give me work that didn't involve me talking to customers. My voice is permanently damaged from it. I am so glad someone had your back OP.
    via WorkingInterview1942
  • 15
    Font - the_greek_italian. 10 hr. ago Mum is trying to raise her son right. I hope that dude gets it together before the whole staff decide to walk out on him one day.
    via the_greek_italian
  • 16
    Font - w1987g +2.11 hr. ago The ultimate weapon was unleashed! I love it! Jami Vote Reply Share SAD-MAX-CZ 59 min. ago Karenbombing is always fun!
    via w1987g
  • 17
    Font - Ben_Hocking 49 min. ago +3. If my wife and I go into a place with a noticeably sick employee, we'll turn around and leave, and that's a place we probably won't visit ever again.
    via Ben_Hocking
  • 18
    Font - DynkoFromTheNorth +3. 3 hr. ago Oh wow... nuclear fallout!
    via DynkoFromTheNorth
  • 19
    Font - Momo-kkun Great M.C. OP 5 hr. ago
    via Momo-kkun
  • 20
    Font - monkeyheh. Thank god for mom - 1 hr. ago
    via monkeyheh

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Tags

bar boss calling out sick day mother calling in sick work customers mommy pub bartender UK sick mom karen
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