It can be hard to let it go when someone you barely know crosses the line.

So, what would you do if a manager asked for your number and you assumed it was work-related, but soon realized that it was for more… personal reasons. Would you just ask him to stop directly? Or would you think about reporting it to someone higher up?

In the following story, one restaurant server finds herself in this situation and is creeped out. Here’s what’s going on.

AIO? restaurant manager creeping on me

I (22F) recently started a new serving job. My first shift was about 12 hours after I left the emergency room, as I’ve been trying (unsuccessfully) to treat a kidney cyst infection, and as such, I have zero room to put up with more stress right now.

At my first shift, my trainer lays eyes on me and immediately says, “Hey, this is gonna be a thing. One manager really likes girls who look like you.”

I dismiss it, thinking, “I’ve worked in this industry for years. So what if he takes an extra long glance when im wiping down a table.”

At first, it came across as very innocent.

On my 3rd shift the other night, I walked in and said manager (60+ M) is ELATED to see me, even though we’ve only met twice, very briefly.

He dives into small talk that is all innocuous and well-meaning, and I think nothing of it until a few hours later. The dinner rush is over, and the other server and I are finally catching our breath when he walks up to me and says, “Hey…do you…. like texting with people?”

I, thinking he’s asking if I prefer text or call if they want me to come in for a shift, say, “Yeah, I mean I do like it better than a phone call.”

“Well… can IIIII text you? 😏”

He immediately begins texting.

Still giving him the benefit of the doubt that it will be about work, I say, “Sure. My # is in HotSchedules, or the other manager has it.”

He has me recite it out loud right there, and he actually remembers it hours later to put it in his phone. The store already has my contact info, but I believe making me physically recite the number was a weird power play to make him feel like he bagged a young woman.

He texts me his name and then shows me, and I thumbs up the message to let him know I have him saved, and I cash out and head to my car.

I am not even in my car before he is texting me, “So what time is best? Or any time?”

Then, the conversation started going off the rails.

He continued on, telling me he wants to see more of me at work when they had barely scheduled me up until this point, asking me about private stuff like my living situation and if I rent or own, OFFERING TO COME BUILD ME A DECK????

I freaked out and called out of my next shift, and now he’s texting me apologizing.

I’m so creeped out.

One of the other managers called me because he heard servers talking about what’s happening, and I told him I was uncomfortable, and he validated me and agreed it was creepy and inappropriate.

She’s torn on whether to turn him in or not.

I told him it must be a huge issue if your female servers felt the need to warn me.

He asked what I wanted to do, and I said I wasn’t sure yet. I asked him to give me a day or two to decide what exactly I want to do because I want to do right by my fellow women, but I also don’t think I’m comfortable continuing to work somewhere where I have reported a superior if they don’t fully fire him.

I want to make sure that I’m not overreacting if I pursue this to the highest extent and then find a new job.

I’ve been in the restaurant industry since I was 14, and I’m 22 now. I know how it goes, and I have had plenty of line-cook “work husbands” who knew where that line was. Texting me at all hours about incredibly private things is way past that line, right??

AIO?

Yikes! Most women wouldn’t want to work in that situation.

Let’s see what the readers over at Reddit think she should do.

This reader thinks he should just be fired.

Here’s someone who offers a plan.

These are thoughts from a line cook.

According to this comment, she should insinuate that he’s old.

The guy sounds like a liability, and the restaurant would be better off just getting rid of him.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.