Kuelzer said that the waiter, who is fromMorocco, has always been well-liked among severalof the restaurant's regular customers. Accordingto Kuelzer, the party seated at the table next tothe GSE party on Jan. 30 has even written lettersto Grendel's supporting the waiter's behavior.
Kuelzer said he could not release copies ofthese letters until he consulted his lawyer.
Both Davis and Smith deny that they have causedproblems in Grendel's before.
"I've never gone in that place and createdhavoc. I've never created any type of problem,"said Smith, who added that he has been toGrendel's a total of six or seven times.
Davis said he did nothing to provoke thealleged verbal attack.
Since the Jan. 30 incident, the group of GSEstudent has not spoken directly to Grendel'smanagement.
Through the Grapevine
Word has gradually spread about the incidentthroughout several of Harvard's graduate schoolsas well as the College as more and moreindividuals are forwarded an e-mail that detailsthe incident.
"It's not a formalized boycott," Kelly said."It's more like here's what happened, and I urgeyou not to go to a place where such treatment isreceived. I feel like [a boycott] could befeasible. There have been a lot of responses tothe e-mail."
While the group is not being officiallyrepresented by an attorney, Kelly's father, who isa lawyer, received a phone call from the attorneyfor Grendel's who said the restaurant would defendthe waiter at the upcoming hearing.
The Office of Student Affairs at the GSE hasalso been notified of both incidents. Accounts ofthe incidents by several of the GSE studentsinvolved are available in the office on AppianWay.
Aware of the fact that the story of these twoincidents have been slowly spreading across theHarvard community, Kuelzer said he feels that hisrestaurant has been wronged.
"Everyone only hears one side of the story.They don't hear how they treated the waiter,"Kuelzer said.