BAD, BAD Benihana!

The evening was a success. After having spent Father's Day away from home, we succeeded in "making it up" to Rogers' dad for having not been here on the actual day. We spent the day with my father in Arkansas this year because otherwise, he'd have been completely alone.

With stuffed bellies, the four of us walked out of the Benihana hibachi grill restaurant to crawl into the car and head home. I noticed my driver's license was sitting in the car console, so I went to place it in the wallet inside my purse where it belonged. But... oops! It wasn't there. Knowing what a forgetful clutz I can be, I figured I'd just absentmindedly left it at the grill where we had our dinner. So, I went back in and asked permission to go up and look. The hostess, in a fairly rude manner, invited me to "go ahead" up to the dining area through a "shoo-shoo" gesture.

There were already new diners sitting at the grill where I'd had dinner. I looked around and saw nothing. No purse, no wallet.. nothing. I asked the server who was helping the grill's new occpants with their drink order. I asked the bus boy who was sweeping the area's floor. The manager came over to me and asked if I'd found anything. I wanted to hold out my empty hands and say "No, but do you like my new puppy? His name is Herman," because of course I hadn't found anything or I'd be HOLDING IT and leaving the restaurant. Instead, I said "No, sir... has anything been turned in?" He curtly answered, "No." and made a "right this way" gesture with his arm toward the ramp leading back to the front door. I thought he was going to lead me to the lost and found. Halfway down the ramp, I sensed that I was alone and turned to make sure the manager was still walking with me. He wasn't. He was standing at the top of the ramp staring at me with disapproval.

When I reached the car, Rogers asked me what happened inside and who I spoke with. I relayed the events to him and he became displeased. He went back inside to see if a man could get any better treatment than his wife had received. While the manager spoke to him, the manager also refused to search for my "life in a bag," saying that he would not ask his employees about a burglary of this sort because he "trusts them." He then suggested that I may have misplaced it at another location. Um... no, sir. I had it there. In your establishment... the same establishment at which my family just spent more than $100 on a Japanese meal that was cooked by an authentic Mexican named Raymond.

The credit cards are canceled. I'll go get my new Kroger card, Library card, Costco card, Sam's Club card and will work on remembering what else was in that wallet that needs to be handled. I pray for the wretched theif who took what is mine. I also am copying this blog to the corporate headquarters of Benihana restaurants to let them know how HORRIBLY an innocent crime victim and CUSTOMER was treated by the rude staff at their establishment.

I'm stunned by the way I was treated; while I have enjoyed Benihana restaurants in several cities, I encourage my friends to boycot the Memphis location because of the poor treatment and negative regard in which its patrons are held.