The stock market, already roiled by reports of flagging consumer confidence and disappointing corporate earnings, received another body-blow today when it was revealed that Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan had run out of a Sizzler restaurant in Manhattan Beach, California last Saturday without paying.

Greenspan, who had dined early in the evening to take advantage of the Sizzler’s Early Bird Meal Deal, ate a large dinner consisting of potato skins and Hibachi Chicken, followed by several visits to the restaurant1s tempting Sundae Bar, according to Shondra McMullen, the waitress who served him.

“When I was adding up his check, he started telling me about rising energy prices and a deflationary spiral in Japan and all, and I guess I kind of nodded off,” McMullen said. “And when I woke up, he was gone.”

Chuck Pooley, the assistant manager of the Sizzler that Greenspan stiffed, was surprised to learn of the Fed Chief’s actions. “I can1t believe it,” Pooley said. “He comes in here every Saturday night – and he usually pays.”

On Wall Street, market-watchers indicated that every time Greenspan has beat the check at a restaurant in the past, the stock market has fallen into a bearish swoon.

“I remember right before the market crash of Œ87, Greenspan ran out on the check at a Coco1s,” said Oliver Creighton of Morgan Stanley. “We are taking this latest move by the Fed very, very seriously.”

In an attempt to calm the markets, Chairman Greenspan released a statement indicating that the economy was in better shape than generally thought, and denying that he had pocketed a dozen ketchup packets at KFC.