It was totally uncalled for. I can understand the "B*tch comment" but what he said to provoke her to punch him was just pure arrogance in my eyes. Don't get me wrong on my last day in retail, i finally told a customer to to go screw themselves in no uncertain terms. But at least in that instance i used Store Policy as the weapon of choice. Here he just let his mouth override his brain. As much as i hate politics, this situation could have been handled much more diplomatically. There's a real art to telling someone to go F!!@# themselves and actually have them agree to it.

That being said, i freelance IT support and custom engineering solutions at the moment. If he had been an employee of mine, I can say for certain that if he had pulled that stunt he'd have been sent home for the week. Second time would have been a week without work and a demotion. Third time would have been a pink slip, his desk cleared out and a do not rehire note in the system. Everyone has a right to their dignity; but bravado like this over steps the bound of preserving that dignity and would be a detriment to the company image. In closing i'll say this, i think the only reason OP wasn't fired is because he made a sale. If that hadn't happened, i'm willing to bet he'd have been out on his ear in an instance.

edit:words

Look at it this way. He was fine up until just after he called her a bitch. That i can excuse, but it's where she was being escorted out and his further instigation that caused so many of us to have a negative reaction. Everyone has a right to dignity, but he just took it too far there. Also just because another human being my act childish in nature, it doesn't bode well if you stoop to their level.