You be the Judge: Let Go of my Buns!

Brendan raced around the bakery, preparing the buns for the oven. “A brush of butter, a little dash of sugar.” He tossed the tray into the oven.

Fellow baker Ross stared at him. “Where’s the fire?”

Brendan wiped some flour off his cheek. “Gotta get home and start preparing for the BBQ.”

Ross started washing the used trays. “Do you want me to bring dessert or something?”

“AUGH!” Brendan freaked. “I need to take buns home and it’s almost 5. I better run to sign them out.”

Brendan took off down the hall.

“Oh no! Margo’s not at her desk!” Brendan ran back into the bakery.

“I’d better get those buns into my car. Help me, Ross.”

Ross didn’t budge. “No way. Kingsley will…”

“That manager of ours can take a hike. I’m no bank robber. I’ll go back and pay in a few minutes. Are you helping me or what?” Brendan asked.

“Sorry. I need this job.”

“You’re such a wimp.”

Brendan struggled to lift the three trays by himself. “At least open the door for me.”

“Great.” Ross reluctantly opened the door. “Make me an accomplice.”

Suddenly, Ross turned white with panic. “Oh hi…uh…Mr. Kingsley…”

The manager was walking in.

Brendan gasped. “Mr. Kingsley?!” Brendan lost his footing and went tumbling right into his manager. The buns went flying.

Kingsley was furious as he dug himself out of the pile of buns. “Watch where you’re going! You’d better have a receipt for those buns.”

“Uhh…” Brendan hesitated.

“Well?” Kingsley demanded.

Brendan tried to explain. “Margo wasn’t at her desk, and it was getting late…”

“You haven’t paid for them?!” Kingsley said.“That’s theft!”

“I was going to pay right after. Only an idiot would call this theft,” Brendan scoffed.

Kingsley brushed off his suit. “You’re calling me an idiot? That’s it. You’re fired for stealing the buns.”

Brendan was shocked. “You can’t fire me for this. I’m suing!”

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IN THE COURTROOM

“I was wrongfully dismissed, Your Honour,” Brendan exclaimed. “This wasn’t ‘theft.’ I fully intended to pay for the buns. I’ve had a perfect employment record for 10 years. Don’t let them fire me over a few buns.”

Mr. Kingsley glared as he spoke. “Brendan removed a product from the bakery without paying for it. That’s theft. Even without the buns, Brendan’s rudeness to me alone would be grounds for firing.”

Should Brendan be fired? You! Be The Judge. Then look below for the court’s decision.

THE DECISION

“Sorry, Brendan, your bun baking days are over,” said the judge. “Minor cases of theft aren’t usually cause for dismissal where the employee regrets his actions and promises not to do it again. But Brendan still insists he did nothing wrong. His dismissal was justified.”