"Hey, Fred! How are you today?" the young manager looked up from behind the counter and greeted his boss.

"Not too bad, James, how about yourself?"

James was an interesting addition to Fred's staff. The youngster was new to management but brought with him an abundance of energy and an eagerness to learn. He was conscientious and attentive and while Fred would have preferred someone with more experience he was confident that he could groom him into a capable assistant.

"So tell me, what do I need to know about today?"

James began filling him in on what sounded like a fairly routine day.

"And one other thing..." the young manager continued, "When I opened up this morning I found some pot in the bathroom."

Fred's eyebrows raised and his attention riveted.

"What did you find, a bag?"

"No, I found some grains of pot and some seeds like someone was rolling a joint on the tank lid of the toilet."

"Get me last night's schedule."

"Here, I already wrote a list of everyone who was here 'til closing." James handed the list to his boss.

"I also found this lighter. It's rather distinctive..." He pulled a lighter from his pocket. It was a standard sized, plastic lighter with a colorful picture of the New York City skyline and a big, black, 'NY' on one side.

"That looks familiar..." Fred said thoughtfully as he took the lighter and read through the list of names. Then suddenly, with his voice strengthened by recognition,

"You smoke cigarettes, don't you?"

"Yeah..."

"Do me a favor." the manager asked. "Later, we're going to have a sit down. When we do, pull out a cigarette and pretend that you can't find your lighter. Not right away but after a while." "All right, sure." James agreed

"Good, good.", he said patting the young assistant's back. "And you pay attention, I'm going to show you some things about managing."

*************************************

It was a quarter to five and the restaurant was mostly empty. The night time crew was straggling in, the cooks donning their white uniforms and getting to work in the back, the wait staff checking their station assignments, strapping on their aprons, and doing their designated set up work.

Fred told James to get himself something to eat and go sit in the first booth, the one along the back wall that tended to be the manager's table when not occupied by customers. The assistant helped himself to an assortment from the salad bar and poured a cup of coffee. As he was finishing his meal Fred came over and sat across from him. After some pleasantries the manager launched into a dissertation.

"Let me tell you something, James, I have never enjoyed firing anybody." he began. "I do it only when I have to. It is our job to set the standards for this restaurant and build a team of people who will adhere to those standards. I know that I don't have a restaurant full of choirboys, " he chuckled, " and I'm not interested in passing judgment on anyone for what they do outside of my restaurant. Do you understand?"

James nodded, his eyes were focused on his boss.

"But you found pot in the restaurant and it's very likely that one of the employees left it there. I can't pretend it didn't happen and I can't risk giving someone a warning and letting it be known that I will tolerate this in my restaurant." Fred paused to emphasize the seriousness of his words. "The crew talks to each other more than you can imagine and this job is hard enough without them thinking they can get away with that kind of stuff. When someone doesn't perform their duties, we instruct them, we warn them, we punish them but when employees steal, bring weapons, or do drugs you have to dismiss them immediately. Remember something...we can always find more workers and they can always find another job. Hopefully, they learn from their mistakes and become better people but our first responsibility is right here." Behind them, Carlos was in the wait station restocking the carryout supplies. Fred called out to him and summoned him over to the table.

"Hey Fred, what up?"

Carlos was a handsome, young man who had been working for Fred as a waiter for about six months. He was small but muscular and his face broke easily into a smile. When he wasn't working he wore a small gold earring in his left ear and a gold chain necklace on his chest.

"Have a seat, Carlos." Fred gestured to the opposite side of the table. The waiter sat down next to James.

"Hey, Carlos" James said.

"So, Carlos, how'd things go last night? All right?"

"Fine. No problems." Carlos answered with a shrug.

"I heard that there was a problem with the kitchen, no? The food was coming out okay?"

"My stuff came fine, man, and I don't remember anyone else having no problems."

Fred gave a little half wink to James and the assistant reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He threw back the lid and tapped the bottom of the pack causing a few of the cigarettes to jump part way out. He held the pack towards Carlos who thanked James as he helped himself to one of the offered smokes. James then positioned one in the corner of his mouth and returned the package to his shirt. He patted his pants' pocket and then looked towards the ashtray for a match. Fred admired the young man's performance and quickly pulled the lighter out from his pocket and, holding it out across the table, flicked on its flame. After James lit his cigarette Fred extended his arm towards Carlos.

"Hey, man, that's my lighter!" Carlos exclaimed.

"I know." Fred said solemnly, placing the incriminating lighter down on the table. "And I think you know where I found it?"

Carlos shook his head slowly from side to side. His face gave no indication of his thoughts. He inhaled slowly from his cigarette.

"Carlos, did you roll a joint in the bathroom last night?"

The waiter denied it.

"I'm not going to play games with you, my man. I believe that you left your lighter in the bathroom last night and that you were in there rolling a joint." Fred pronounced without any signs of wavering.

The waiter protested, calmly but adamantly, and again denied the charges that Fred had made.

"What do you think, James?" Fred said without looking away from the waiter.

James was taking it all in, peering at the side of Carlos's head as if trying to penetrate inside to the truth it contained.

"I really don't know, Fred, I wish I did."

"I'm sorry, Carlos, you're a good man, you've been a good waiter but I'm going to have to let you go."

Fred sat back, still facing his waiter. Carlos shook his head and muttered,

"It aint me...it aint me."

"Do you have anything else you want to say, Carlos?"

Carlos shook his head as he took his cue and got up to leave. The three men were silent as the young waiter removed his apron and placed it on the table. His face was hard with pride as he nodded goodbye to the two men, turned towards the front door, and walked slowly out of the restaurant.

"I'm not sure he did it, Fred." James said after a while.

Fred stared at his assistant for a moment and then said,

"Most of being a manager is about trusting your instincts and making uncomfortable decisions. I know he did it."

*************************************

When Carlos returned the following week he admitted to Fred that it had been his lighter and his pot that James had found. Fred was extremely proud of the young man as he apologized and told his former boss that he had meant no disrespect to him or the restaurant. Fred handed him his last paycheck and the two men shook hands.