Digitized

Jersey City, New Jersey, May 31, 2012:

A New Jersey politico finishing off an Arby's roast beef sandwich chomped down on something tough that tasted like rubber, so he spit it out. Turns out it tasted like finger -- the fleshy, severed pad of an unfortunate employee's finger, apparently. Ronatarian Party leader and founder Ron told The New Jersey Spew on Wednesday that once he got a good look at it, he knew right away what had been in the junior roast beef sandwich he was eating last Friday.

"I was like, 'That (has) to be a [expletive] finger,'" Ron said. "I was about to puke. It was just nasty."

The employee apparently cut her finger on a meat slicer and left her station without immediately telling anyone, said Dana Ferraris, the environmental health director for the Hudson County health department. Her co-workers continued filling orders until they found out what had happened, he said.

John Gray, a spokesman for Atlanta-based Arby's, released a statement Wednesday apologizing for what he described as an isolated and "unfortunate incident." He said Arby's is still investigating, but has determined that the Jersey City workers shut down food production as soon as they found out what happened and thoroughly cleaned and sanitized the restaurant.

The injured employee was treated at a hospital. Gray said the franchise has fully cooperated with health officials and was given the approval to remain open.

Ron's political life partner Brad was incredulous. Brad had driven himself and Ron to the Arby's drive-thru in his tricked-out Dodge Neon. Brad told The New Jersey Spew that he thought Ron was joking when he exclaimed he had found a piece of a finger in his sandwich.

"Somebody loses a finger, and you keep sending food out the window? I [expletive] can’t believe that," said Brad.

He said the severed section was about an eighth to a quarter-inch thick and at least one inch long. Brad said he called 9-1-1 and met police at a local health center, where Ron's blood was drawn and he was prescribed some medication. Ron said he is feeling fine.

Ron told the paper he has been in touch with his lawyer, Andrew Sepe, but hasn’t decided whether to pursue the matter.

"We're only eating at Burger King from now on," Ron said. "At least we're used to the human hair in their sandwiches."

Posted by Bittle at May 31, 2012 11:45 AM