As most of my readers may or may not know, I have a day job. A day job that has recuced my hours to 20/week instead of the customary 40/week, but I digress.
So every morning from 10AM to 2PM I work at the bookstore. It’s usually quite quiet during my shift as I am the only person in the store. And it’s pretty dull save for the usual customer in the downtown area asking if the store is a library or if one needs a library card to purchase a book. Then there is the occasional person looking for change for the parking meter. Today, this particular brand of customer came into the store.
Now, when I am approched by any one seeking change for the meter, I follow the orders of the store. I simply cannot give change without a sale. This is a policy set by my boss and not me. Every time a customer asked for change, this was my response. I cannot open the register without a sale. Simple. I usually direct the customer to the nearest bank, if I remembered.
Today, the situation presented itself again. And again I said I could not give change without a sale.
This was not the response he was looking for. However, instead of seeking another place to find quarters, he decided to speak to my employer about something trivial having nothing to do with quarters. He spoke to her at length about a few different subjects, then decided to take his leave.
As he left, he saw a ticket hanging from his windshield wiper. Irrate, he began to express his anger at me through sarcasm “And now I have a ticket, thank you!”
I told him that there was nothing I could do. I wanted to tell him that if he had procured quarters from elsewhere before he began speaking with my employer, or since he knew he would have to park downtown, where meters abound, he could have very easily brought his own quarters.
Instead I just shouted “Have a good day, Sir.” and wished the whole moment had never happened. I’m just at a loss….
Did I do something wrong? Could I have handled the situation differently? Maybe.
Anyway. Page is on the way. As well as some other projects.
