And life imitates art once again
NEEDHAM, Mass. — A Massachusetts McDonald’s worker with Down syndrome is finally retiring after more than three decades at the restaurant, according to WBZ-TV.
After 32 years working at the fry station, Freia David’s face is a familiar one for many of the customers.
“She is one of the most beautiful and upbeat people you could ever hope to know and I know,” wrote loyal patron Christopher Sheehan on Facebook — Sheehan grew up with David and the two are still close.
His post inspired a stream of memories in the comment section from other Needham residents who met David over the years.
“Freia served me the last burger I ever ate at McD’s,” wrote Julia Frevold. “When I told her I was cutting them out of my diet she was excited to be the person to give me my special last burger from “her” restaurant. I won’t forget her smile as I told her I thought the name of a goddess suited her well.”
………..In addition to his usual lunch-rush duties–making sure the dining area, condiment island, and restrooms are clean and stocked–Ehrman spent 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday voluntarily sweeping and mopping the floor in the prep area, helping an elderly customer find her purse, and throwing salt on the icy walk outside the restaurant.
During the same two-hour stretch, 20-year-old Jenna Sanders, Ehrman’s direct supervisor, incorrectly prepared three orders, spilled a jug of oil in the kitchen, and had a 25-minute conversation about the band Slipknot with coworker Debi Price.
“[Sanders] double-charged me for a BK Big Fish Value Meal,” customer Terry Unger said. “Then she got my order completely wrong. I was about to storm out of there and never come back again when this retarded kid, all smiles, comes up and asks if I need help. Sixty seconds later, he hands me the correct order and change, and apologizes for the trouble. Finally, someone who understands how to treat a customer.”
Unger added that in addition to having the only clean uniform in the store, Ehrman seemed to be the sole employee with basic interpersonal skills.
“Maybe they teach it in the special-ed classes or something, but he’s the only one who actually speaks in sentences as opposed to grunts,” Unger said. “And when I asked for extra ketchup packets, he handed them to me and said, ‘Here you go,’ instead of rolling his eyes.”