FACING THREATS

Awaiting the bill for our meal with 2 of the three children gone to the restroom, and the baby sitting between me and my wife. All of the sudden a physical fight breaks out [in this family restaurant] in the isle just 3 tables down from where we were seated. I immediately go into sensory alert and the adrenaline starts flooding my senses, watching for potential threat to my loved ones seated with me and those due back any moment now, from the restroom.

Three men, appearing to be with the women try to dissuade them from their out-of-order behavior. They all appeared to be active duty military or spouses of the same. By now, the manager, assistant manager, and 3 male waiters have arrived, but NONE of them seem capable of stopping the arms and hands and hair-pulling, and I see the blob of people heading backwards toward our table. I immediately speak out in my Army drill and ceremony voice “You need to stop your fighting right now because I have children and a baby here! If you can't behave like adults then get out of here and go home... NOW!” Only some of the customers, and those employees trying to step between the two women pay any mind to my words, and the physical attack appears to continue to escalate and getting very close to our table. In a very loud and extremely convicted tone I speak again, “That's enough with the fighting, I'm telling you both, for the LAST TIME that your behavior is totally unacceptable and I won't tolerate it for another minute—GET OUT NOW! There are children and babies in here and you are going to hurt someone—GET OUT NOWWW!!! One of the two women backs up to our table and I'm getting ready to remove her myself when she finally stops turns in tears at me and says “I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.” To which I reply, “Sorry doesn't cut it. I don't except your sorry. Don't you see that we have a baby here who could've been hurt?! I suggest you get out of the restaurant and go home and don't go out if you can't behave like a mature woman.”

The assistant manager comes over to our table and apologizes, the waitress comes over to our table and apologizes, the man that couldn't control his woman apologizes “I'm sorry about her behavior, but I barely know her.” And the manager offers to give us our meal for free and begs us to come back another day and dine in her restaurant. I accept her offer and let her know that I know it's not her fault but was not at all happy that she had so many employees at the scene and still couldn't stop the women from fighting. “For legal reasons, we are not able to put a hand on anyone.” I asked her, “Why is it that so many restaurants with bars and bars have bouncers and are legally able to remove people if they are putting others health at risk? What would you have done to ensure the safety of my baby and wife if I were not here to intervene?” Sir, I do not know.

I've run the events through my mind over and over again and focus on a better way to handle the situation (if possible). I come up with the same path I chose.