What They Uncovered
There was something Sheree encountered that reminded her of something from a horror movie. It is impossible, however, for her to unsee what has always been right in front of her.
Suddenly, she faced the prospect of losing her beloved job. Her career had just begun, but she soon discovered that what lay ahead would haunt her.
Building Her Dream Life
Sheree Johnson worked hard to achieve success in everything she did. The youngest of four siblings, she grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. Having come from a financially struggling family, she yearned for a better life.
As a result of her hard work, she eventually succeeded. Having landed a job as a manager of a fast-food restaurant, she was proud of herself. Despite her pride, she would soon face a test.
How It Ended
In the beginning, Sheree worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant, then became an assistant cook, and eventually took food orders as a front-end customer service representative. After her promotion to staff supervisor, she realized her hard work paid off, and she was soon promoted to general manager.
The respect she received from her colleagues was due to her growth. Sheree's time in the restaurant was soon coming to an end.
Analyzing Everything
During her many years working at the restaurant, Sheree faced many challenges. In either case, the customer walked in with these issues, or they came up in the restaurant itself. Due to its delicious and diverse menu, the restaurant has grown in popularity.
Sheree tried every item on the menu to better understand her customers' choices and understand their needs. Consequently, she could make informed recommendations. The menu would become a significant problem when Sheree wasn't expecting it.
Kindness
No matter what the weather was like, Sheree recognized the faces of the regular customers. She knew all her "regulars" by name, Uncle Henry being her favorite. The chicken sandwich with coffee is the lunch special he came in for every day at noon.
She offered him a special discount in appreciation of his loyalty and support. Unfortunately, this act of kindness would have unintended consequences.
The Trend
The restaurant was especially popular with families from the local community who frequented on Saturdays. She had the opportunity to observe the families grow and change during her tenure there.
Sheree provided complimentary toys and ice cream to the kids while they ordered family meals. Her surprise, however, was that fewer families were visiting the restaurant.
A Busy Evening
Friday night was often the busiest night for the restaurant as couples and teens ate late into the night. Sheree managed to keep order despite the atmosphere getting loud and rowdy.
A Friday night, however, would bring Sheree face to face with her biggest fear. There was nothing she dreaded more than an unhappy customer, and she couldn't help but be concerned.
Getting Answers
After discovering that a customer had reported feeling ill after eating at the restaurant, Sheree was speechless. There was a suggestion that oil might have caused the problem.
A complaint like this had never been seen or heard before at the restaurant. In order to discover the truth, Sheree investigated the matter in depth.
Digging Deeper
In an attempt to find out what the problem was, Shereen inquired at the restaurant. She was shocked to learn that the restaurant was using outdated cooking oil.
There was no way she could believe what she was hearing, and she was determined to find out the truth. As long as she kept an eye on the situation, the cooks couldn't get away with it.
Asking Questions
Sheree went to Gerald, the cook, for information since he was the most experienced at the restaurant. Her close friendship with him was also important to her.
In order to discuss confidential matters, she invited Gerald to her office. His attention was drawn to the complaints of the restaurant, including the outdated oil complaint. However, Sheree had no idea what Gerald's reaction would be.
Gerald, The Cook
Gerald became angry. He was hurt that his good friend Sheree would think he would jeopardize her in any way. He saw her as his daughter.
He knew how hard she worked to get this position, and he would not be using any expired products in his kitchen. Sheree apologized and decided to keep investigating other parts of the restaurant.
More Checks
After talking to Gerald, Sheree decided to go to the walk-in refrigerator. There must be something in there causing the trouble.
She looked at everything from meats to salads, but everything was fresh. Gerald was meticulous in making sure everything was stored at the right temperature. Nothing smelled off. It had to be something else.
An Unwanted Discovery
Then Sheree did something she didn’t want to but had to do. She was the manager, and it was her job to make sure that everything was running smoothly.
She moved a cabinet to see what was behind. They always made sure the kitchen was in tip-top shape. Then Sheree’s heart sank. She saw something behind the cabinet that made her want to scream.
Closing Time
Behind the cabinet was a small infestation of ants. This was bad. Sheree had to get pest control in as soon as possible.
She dialed the pest control company they always used. In the meantime, she closed the restaurant until the problem was solved. Gerald said she was being dramatic, but Sheree wanted to be extra careful.
Pest Control
Mr. Davis of the pest control company was a friendly guy. He often saw them four times a year to fumigate the restaurant.
Sheree just wanted the ants removed and not killed. Hopefully, Mr. Davis could find a way to seal off the passages they were using. She was not going to have a repeat of this. But then she received more bad news from Mr. Davis.
Closed Until Further Notice
According to Mr. Davis, the restaurant would have to be closed for a week in order for him to do a thorough job.
This meant no business. Sheree wasn’t pleased, but it had to be done. Plus, she was happy to give Gerald some time off. She had an idea to make a special “re-opening sandwich” for her beloved customers. But the infestation had to be dealt with.
Open For Business
It was the grand re-opening of the restaurant, and Sheree and her team couldn’t have been happier. They had needed the break from the restaurant, but being back was great.
Sheree and Gerald made up a special chicken sandwich that would be selling for 99c on that day only. The place was packed, and customers were happy. But Sheree’s happiness would soon fade.
The 99c Special
It was another Friday night, and Sheree and Gerald decided to continue the 99c chicken special to keep the customers coming for more.
Sheree spotted the four teens who were regulars on Friday nights. They, too, enjoyed the 99c special. They were there a long time, and after they decided to leave, one of the girls came up to Sheree to tell her something she could never have expected.
Sabotage?
The girl told her that she, too, had been sick. Sheree would not let them ruin her night. She told them that the place had just been fumigated, and they used only the freshest produce.
She then told them that if they weren’t happy with the food, they shouldn’t come back at all. They left, and Sheree was sure that they were out to sabotage the restaurant. But it was much worse.
Monday Blues
The following week, Sheree had lots of admin to do, so she decided to bring her work and sit down at one of the tables for a different atmosphere.
And that’s when she noticed something strange. It was already 12:15 pm, and there was no sign of Uncle Henry. He usually was here at 12 pm on the dot to have his lunch. Where could he be?
The Messenger
The next day, there was still no sign of Uncle Henry, and Sheree began to worry. She didn’t have his phone number to call to find out where he was. But then, a lady approached the counter looking for her.
It was Uncle Henry’s daughter, Heather. She had brought the message to Sheree, saying that her dad had been sick for a few days, and he wanted Sheree to know where he was. Sheree was grateful for the message, but she came to a sad realization.
More Problems
Sheree realized that Uncle Henry was sick because he had been at the grand opening, and he must’ve gotten sick from something in the restaurant. He had his usual lunch plus the 99c special.
This was bad. What if he didn’t recover? Sheree needed to do something drastic to get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all.
Candid Camera
Sheree purchased some cameras. She was going to secretly set them all around the restaurant to see what was going on with the staff and the customers.
It was not an easy job, and she was risking her staff’s privacy, but she had to do this. It was the only way to get to the bottom of it. What Sheree would see on the cameras would leave her regretting her actions.
The Reveal
Sheree watched all the footage. There was nothing to make her suspicious of anyone on her team or any of the customers.
There was nothing going on. The staff was hygienic, and there were no signs of sabotage. But Sheree knew that there was a person she dreaded coming into the restaurant the next day.
The Health Inspector
Mr. Simmons, the health inspector, came in to make his inspection of the restaurant. He came every six months, and Sheree made sure to give him a complimentary meal for his trouble.
He was a kind man, but she could see he was also a no-nonsense kind of guy. As he walked around, he made notes on his clipboard. Sheree always wondered what he wrote.
The Inspection
Sheree was nervous as Mr. Simmons made his way behind the counter and into the kitchen. She had checked everything and found nothing unsanitary. Everything was spotless, and the fridges were well stocked.
Luckily Gerald and Mr. Simmons were good friends. They would always crack a joke together while Simmons was inspecting. Hopefully, it could distract him for a while.
A Nightmare Come True
After he was done chatting with Gerald and checking the kitchen, Simmons made his way to the office and bathrooms.
Sheree was confident about her office. She cleaned and sanitized it herself. But the bathrooms were always a worry. Although they were clean, something could always pop up. To Sheree’s dismay, that’s exactly what happened.
The Discovery
Simmons was in the bathroom for a while, and when he eventually came out, he had a look of concern on his face. Sheree braced herself. She was not ready for what Simmons would tell her.
He discreetly informed Sheree that he had found something in the bathrooms and it was best to close down the restaurant for good. Or, he suggested, that it be burned and rebuilt. Sheree’s heart nearly stopped.
The Culprit
Simmons showed Sheree what he had found. The walls behind the basins and toilets were all covered in black mold. How could she not have seen this?
It must be the reason why her patrons were getting sick. The mold was toxic, and it would explain why people were having stomach problems. Sheree explained to Simmons that there was no way she was burning down the place. She had a solution.
The Solution
Sheree called Mr. Davis. She knew he was also a mold removal professional. It would take a few days, but she was glad to have found the problem, and thankfully, it was not the food.
After a few days, the restaurant opened to spectacular fanfare. All the regulars were there, including the teens from Friday night and Uncle Henry. This time, Sheree made sure all of his future meals would be for free.