Social Etiquette

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evlPanda said..

Here's my similar story:

It's our wedding reception. We've provided the usual free meals and I think four or so hours of wines and beers. Everybody has had a really good time.

It's the end of the reception and everybody is leaving the venue. I am one of the last to leave when the staff pull me aside and explain that one of my guests has stolen a bottle of champagne from behind the bar. It was found with the cork broken off, still half in the bottle, and the bottle hidden behind a pot plant.

"No worries," I say. "I'll pay for it and we'll drink it upstairs."

"Ah, that's good of you sir. That comes to... $800." (or thereabouts)

"... say what?"

Someone in my party had pinched a bottle of '73 Cristal. They hadn't even popped the cork properly, but it was opened.

Nobody owned up to it but I eventually found out who it was. We've never received an apology. Haven't spoken since.

It does not excuse the theft, but frankly you should not have had to pay. I assume you paid for the venue and 4 hours of drinks. That should include some type of duty of care from the establishment to secure their own premises. It was a wedding - with free drink and I am assuming a fair handful of people. If they left their bar unattended with expensive champagne in it - it is their own fault, not yours. It's not like wedding receptions are not known for poor/drunken behaviour.......

Reminds me of a mate at uni that flogged a bottle of scotch from an inner city nightclub many years ago. Had it shoved down his jacket when he left. some guy hassled him in front of one of the bouncers as he left. He was happy to go on with it, but had to put that pesky bottle down first - asked the bouncer to hold it for him......still had the pourer attached....

Nb If this is in NSW and you accuse the other couple of stealing your wine, they will first be unable to recall it, then deny all possibility of having even being in the same room as the wine, but if you look really carefully through the waiters pockets you will probably find a hand written not thanking him for providing such a notable bottle.

None of this happened in reality.
It's a short movie script for a friend... some of the details have been changed; the actual scripts is more detailed and specific, but he's having trouble completing the scene.

He wants realistic drama.

My reaction was to grab the handbag and demand compensation in a very confrontational manner; upturn table even... but I like the replace with cheap wine approach.