I need to get this out there. I still feel like a piece of shit over this and I'm not sure where to go with it.

This past Saturday, I got a trainee named Chad. He seemed like a pretty cool guy, and we were already getting along really well. Not sure how well I taught him, but it hardly matters anymore. Explanation in a minute.

Chad ended up needing a ride home. He's poor and rooming with a prostitute downtown, so he doesn't own reliable transportation. I was more than happy to give him a ride there, and on the way we were just chatting about inconsequential things like we had all morning. As soon as we got near his house, he admitted his girlfriend is bisexual, and I just casually said, "So am I." He smiled at it and said "That's cool." then got outta the car and I drove off.

Next morning, I come in to find he'll be working with me again. At least, I thought so. No sooner had I come in than Heather, the manager on duty, pulls me to the back and said "It's come to my attention that you are bisexual and asked to have relations with Chad. You drove him home yesterday after you two got off, and I understand things were said." Naturally, I was totally confused at this point and I asked "Who said this?" Heather said Chad was behind it and that what I said counts as sexual harassment, which would mean immediate termination. I start thinking there has to be something wrong with the story. Chad's a good guy and he wouldn't try to get me fired.

Well, he comes in to work two hours later, gets pulled to the back with Heather, and in a few minutes he comes out furious because HE was fired for sexual harassment. I guess Heather's justification would be that he's trying to spread rumors about me in order to harm me and my reputation among coworkers.

At this point, I'm totally annoyed and more than a little suspicious. This job was the only thing Chad had going for him, and it just got pulled from him for what I believe was just a misunderstanding. Does it sound like anyone was harassing anyone else? No. And, to make me feel even more like a heel, all the managers come in and start hugging me and smothering me with "Are you okay?" and "Everything's gonna be alright." All I could think was "Please, God, get these people offa me. I've got work to do." I swear, now I know the support rape victims must get...

Some things here just don't add up.

A: What was said was said outside of work and should never have involved anyone from the restaurant. Even Heather said to me what happens in our personal lives is our business and our business alone.

B: Chad would not let something like this leak out. He was really nonchalant about my prior confession and he doesn't seem like a good actor to me.

C: The only way this sort of thing could be harassment is if the victimized party feels sexually threatened. I sure as hell didn't! Chad would rather have threesomes with his girl (which he claims has happened often) than stick himself in me, so what did I honestly have to fear from him knowing?

Well, I felt like shit over what happened all day and I never wanted either of us to be fired over a casual conversation outside the workplace. I got off an hour early (I guess Heather thought I would want some time for recovery. Dumb bitch.) so I went down to Chad's home to talk things over with him and be sure the record was set straight between me and him. Well, guess what? I found out a few things that made things feel even more suspicious.

He had come to work two hours early by accident and met up with Brian Lane, our maintenance worker on the weekends. He was sweeping the lot at the time, so Chad stopped to have a smoke and talk to him for awhile. Brian apparently asked him if I was bi, and Chad said "Yeah, as far as I know." and left it at that. He left after that to walk home and get a little more sleep before he had to work.

Also, he and Heather have obviously got bad blood between them. Heather does interview applicants from time to time, and interviewed Chad several times. Each time, she turned him down. He was eventually hired after an interview with Tammy, a different manager with craploads of seniority over Heather. With how gung-ho Heather was to fire either me or Chad, I wouldn't put it past her to simply use this as the perfect excuse to get rid of him.

After we talked and reconciled everything, he and I have agreed to do everything possible to set things right with work. As for me? I won't be able to stand it there much longer, not after what they did to a perfectly good employee and a new friend. If things aren't resolved soon, I'm just gonna put in my two weeks. I've been getting sicker and sicker of the place every day, and this is the final straw.

I plan to speak to either Laura (the head manager) or Mike (the owner) to see if maybe they can help me out and get all of this cleared up. I'm directly involved in this, so my words should hold more sway than anyone's. Also, Chad's got my cell number so he can update me on his situation.

I'm done. After this fiasco, I'm just done. I firmly believe the politics in that restaurant are gonna tear me down if I don't get the hell outta there. I'll do what I can to help Chad, then I'm gonna leave that place behind. No question.

Thank you for taking the time to read this workplace rant.

Jackal, out.