We cannot talk about horror stories in restaurants without Samuel coming to mind. It was one of the most disgusting situations I ever got into and one of those that really makes you wonder "Why me?"
 I was working the graveyard shift in a rather fancy restaurant. I went in at 3 in the morning, did all the heavy cleaning, and began the morning prep, then, usually did dishes from about 9 to 11. Sometimes when it was busy I didn't get done until 12 or even 1!
I had begun to notice the place had trouble keeping assistant managers. Three had come and gone since I'd begun working there. Then Samuel joined the staff. Samuel was the type of guy that made every man jealous. He worked out every day with weights. He could have easily played pro football, yet looked like that Fabio guy on television. Two of the waitresses literally panted and swooned every time he went by and tried desperately to get his attention. So I was completely taken back one afternoon when Samuel casually walked up to me and remarked, "Gerald, I hear you're between girlfriends right now. How about you and me going out Saturday night then going up to my place and having some fun?"
I stood there for a moment, my mouth hanging open in total shock! I finally managed to say, "Did you just ask me what I THINK you just asked me?"
Samuel just smiled and nodded.
"You f ' piece of garbage!" I screamed. "Don't you ever humiliate me like that again! Don't you ever insult me like that! From now on don't even speak to me unless it pertains to work, and never, EVER touch me again!"
 I had noticed before that when Samuel was talking to me he'd start patting me on the shoulder, and his hand would work its way down my back. I suddenly realized what he had been doing.
"I don't understand!" Samuel muttered, "I don't understand. Why are you so angry? I just ASKED you. I have a right to ask."
"No you don't, you piece of garbage!" I answered. "No man has a right to ask another man that question. Don't you EVER humiliate me like that again!"
"It's not a humiliation!" Samuel answered with a tremble in his voice.
"It is," I told him. "the worst humiliation that a man can do to another man! Now I'm not going to discuss it any further.
You're insulting me, you're humiliating me. Get out of my face and don't ever get in it again with ideas like that on your mind. I'll forgive it once, I won't a second time!"
"You wouldn't hurt me just because I like you?" Samuel moaned.
"Without the slightest hesitation!" I announced.
He ran off into the office and shut the door. The manager showed up a few minutes later.
"Gerald," he remarked, "you can't talk to Samuel like that. You've no right. He just asked you something."
"It's not a discussible topic," I answered. "If you think I've violated the company's ethics we can take it up in the unemployment office. But a manager has no right to insult an employee. I won't tolerate it!"
"He didn't insult you," the manager argued.
"I say he did!" I answered, "And that's the end of it. As long as he doesn't bother me again everything will be o.k but I won't be humiliated like that! End of discussion!"
The manager shook his head and walked off. Things continued on a very shaky level for several weeks. Every once and a while Samuel would start talking to me and his hand would come up on my back. I'd knock it away and he'd head off into the office. Again the manager approached me.
"Gerald," he began, "you have to show Samuel proper respect."
 "I do," I answered. "I do whatever he asks me pertaining to work. I talk to him civilly and continuously but I will not let him fondle me. If you have a problem with that we can take it up in a court of law."
"Why can't you understand," the manager pleaded, "that some people have different ideas than you do and just because someone prefers another lifestyle does not make them evil."
"That's YOUR opinion," I answered. "I don't share it. As long as Samuel keeps his hands to himself there's no problem, but I won't have a piece of garbage like him patting on me. There's no discussion about it, that is a POSITIVE AND ABSOLUTE!"
"I don't like this attitude!" the manager snapped. "And I don't like you saying things to the district manager. It's not right! Samuel is not harassing you. If anything, you're harassing him."
"I don't WANT this discussion," I repeated. "Let's end it now. It will accomplish nothing."
"Dammit!" the manager shrieked and walked off.
After one of the knock away incidents one of the waitresses that was so hot for Samuel came up all in a tithy.
"What did you do?" she snapped. "Samuel went in the office crying. Why are you so despisable to him?"
"He's a fag," I told her. "He wants me to go out with him and go to bed with him. He keeps trying to pat on me. I won't let him do it."
"That's not true!" the waitress shrieked, "That's not true! Why would you say such an awful thing?"