Court Opinion

ID: 9580497
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:05:35.070463+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:19.071232
License: Public Domain

Webb, Judge,
concurring specially.
The majority place great reliance on the fact that Mr. York, the manager, specifically instructed Burke, in the presence of the other employees, to stay out of the counter area where he was not permitted to go. Upon this the case hangs, and upon this I have concluded the majority is quite correct.
Had there been some evidence of distraction, emergency, extreme urging, or perhaps even simple forgetfulness on the part of the ten-year-old plaintiff, I might conclude otherwise. But here there is no doubt that young Burke recognized that Mr. York was the manager and that he went behind the counter knowing that this was in violation of the manager’s express instruction, not only given to the employees but to him as well. As Burke testified: "Q. Who is Mr. York? A. He is the manager... Q. Now, you were told earlier in the day by your cousin, John Murphy, that you could not go behind the counter, did you not? A. I was not told by John Murphy. I was told by Mr. York. Q. You were told by Mr. York? A. Yes, sir. Q. And I believe you said that when you went back there, Mr. York’s back was to you, is that right? A. Yes, sir... Q. Now, *650when you were back there, Mr. Ken York, the manager, told you that you couldn’t go behind the counter back where the ice room was, is that right? A. Yes, sir... Q. Do you have any reason to believe that anything you might have said in 1972 (on deposition) was inaccurate as far as you knew at that time? A. Yes, sir. Q. You do? A. Yes, sir. Q. What particular portion of it? A. Johnny didn’t tell me I wasn’t supposed to come back there. Mr. York was the one that told me.”
In view of this testimony, I see no basis upon which The Huddle House could be held liable.
I am authorized to state that Judge Quillian joins in the foregoing.