Work was... stressful. I had a customer nearly start a full-on, multiple parties involved brawl at my workplace. He was a bit agitated from the beginning, but nothing I couldn't handle. Found out fairly quickly he was drunk and/or hungover from the smell. Again, nothing I couldn't handle.

He would have been home free if hadn't worked himself into a frenzy over some people talking nearby. Now, they were a bit loud, but I frankly had them tuned out. He, I have a good idea, was feeling the consequences of his alcoholic shenanigans and heard every syllable bouncing around his throbbing head. Instead of, I don't know, asking nicely, he decided to insult the people, their appearance, and order them to "Get the @#$& away!" When the chatting customers didn't take kindly to being ordered around by a stranger, he decided "You wanna go!?" was the appropriate response. Lucky for him I was essentially done when he made a fool of himself, otherwise he would have heard "Get the @#$& away." from me, albeit in "customer service" speak.

That's the part that bugged me. After the dust had settled, I recapped everything with my boss and made sure of the circumstances where I could refuse service. I also talked with the leadership of the store I worked in to make sure they would back me up if I had to refuse service to someone that belligerent.

I've had multiple circumstances where I've felt uncomfortable or even unsafe with certain customers, relayed my issues to management... and they bend over backwards to accommodate the belligerent. It's very much in the same vein as my "Expectations of Disbelief" thread. Why rely on someone who might not act in my objective best interest?

I'm happy they didn't reinforce that thought process, but it doesn't mean it's not still there.