Who's the Boss?

I'm not trying to toot my own horn (seriously I'm not) but in most of the places I've worked in the past 15 years I've taken on a bit of a leadership role.  Movie Theater (illusion of power) Bdubs (Management) Radio Station (In charge of trainning) just various places I'm used to having people give me the power to delegate to others.  I assume I must be good at leading or have some quality that people see to entrust me.

Well I haven't always been a great follower.  It was around christmas probably 8 or 9 years ago now.  I was working at Bdubs and at this point I was still the lowly kitchen worker.  We were closing early for the company christmas party and the GM told us to bring any leftovers from the evening to the party.  The manager that night had a different opinion though.  See it was an odd setup we were turning off the fryers  (in a wing joing) an hour before we actually locked the doors.  The manager told me to cook off 50 wings, that can easily be one table.  If we turned the fryers back on we'd have to reclean them and wait for them to cool again.

I cooked 200 wings, this ensured we had enough for the customers that came in (BTW we used 175) and then the leftovers could make their way to the party.  Win, Win.  The guy on duty was upset.

"But I was told to make sure we had some leftovers for the party"

"I don't care. I'm managing right now so I don't care if the owner told you to cook 500 you do what I tell you!  Who's the Boss?"

I was a bit taken back I mean it was a bit arrogant to completely contradict the GM who is above the both of us.  Even alluding to ignore the owners wishes also.  I mean I was doing what I was told by someone with more authority than he had.  Maybe that's what inspired my response.

"I dunno Tony Danza?"

To which everyone laughed, everyone accept the manager.  He only go pissed off more.  I believe this was around the time he told me to leave and said I'd be fired.  I can see now where he was coming from to a point.   I was calling him out on it in front of everyone, his authority was shot.  Though I think it had been killed in that store long be for Tony and I.  In hindsight in his shoes I'd probably have reacted similarly, though I'd like to think I'd have listened a little better to the reason.

Eventually we did make it to the party where the GM confirmed I was correct in everything I'd been instructed to do (though we all agreed while hilarious it should have been handled better by both parties).  Shortly after he got transferred to another store.  I discovered a year later when I got transferred to the same store that he was quite popular there, and I'd like to think it had nothing to do with me that he quit the same day I joined.

Years later after we both left we randomly ran into each other at a bar and officially buried the hatchet.