Welcome to Strangers from KCW in Radio Topia.

I'm Leah Tao.

Today's story takes a lot of surprising terms and it's a stranger story in the truest

sense.

Here is Jennifer Ludwigsman.

Two years ago I was working at a restaurant in North Hollywood and there was this guy

that would come in always at a table for one and they called him Smokey Joe.

He was at the time 77 years old when I met him and the bus boys were always like,

like, I said to Pim because he was dressed to the tent.

You know, just these art deco ties and crocodile skin shoes and you know, it's big, blinged

out Rolex and an ID bracelet that has his name and diamonds.

Dapper as can be but a total asshole about the food.

Servers hated him.

Could not stand away on this guy.

I had never actually had the pleasure but I had heard these horrible stories.

He was crass.

He would cuss out the food, always ordered off the menu.

Hated everything that he ordered but he would still come back like twice a week.

But one fateful night he was finally sat in my section and I was super nervous because

I'm, you know, I kind of melt down when people aren't mean to me or swear at me or yell

at me.

But I approached his table and I was just going to kill him with kindness.

...