A Few Psycho Customers

It’s been a while since I’ve ranted about the insane customers I’ve had at TR. So, here are a few of my latest.

#1 – Customer shows up just a little too late on the 4th of July
I am, by no means, unwilling to stay a little later for a customer. However, all I ask is; if you’re going to be running late, you call me.

This woman showed up around five minutes before closing time. She comes rushing up to my kiosk saying “I know you’re going to hate me. You’re going to hate me for this.” I just looked at her, puzzled; and rattling through a list of possibly annoying things she might have planned. “I need to order something.” Now, I know I’m not supposed to close the register before it’s actually time to close, and I didn’t. However, I told the woman that I had. She was unhappy. Very unhappy.

I told her “I’m sorry ma’am, I really am, but my register is already closed.” She starts swearing every fives seconds and complaining that she practically killed herself trying to get down here on time. I refused to budge on this. I knew that, even if all she wanted was to just order it; it would take anywhere from five to ten minutes. And that’s five to ten minutes more than I was willing to give on the 4th of July. She pleaded with me. “I don’t need it tonight. I just need to order it.”

Wait a minute. You killed yourself getting down here to order something tonight that you’re perfectly will to pick up tomorrow? 1.) You could have called the order in. 2.) You could have just came down tomorrow, ordered it and picked it up; all within an hour’s time.

She paced around some more and demanded my manager’s phone number. I wrote down my own phone number. She asked that manager’s name and my name. I gave her my manager’s first name and my own first name. She continued to pace around the kiosk. I saw her make a b-line towards the other end of the mall. I imagine she wanted to complain about me closing the store early. Of course, I’d bet money the mall offices weren’t open that day, and even if they were, they were probably closed by then.

The moral of this story. Had that woman simply called in and said “Hey, I need to order something, it will probably take me this long to get down there, do you mind staying for me.” I would have told her; “Well, you can order over the phone, but if you really don’t want to do that, then yes, I’ll wait for you.” It’s that simple. A little courtesy. Especially considering I know damn good and well that fat hussie was probably off that day, and had just been sitting around on her ass. She could have very well been down here sooner.

#2 – Customer looking for “special” keychains.
This man walked up to me and asked if any of our key chains did anything special. I said “Not really. I mean, if they don’t look like they do anything special, then they don’t.” This was a sincere answer. The key chains are fairly self-explanatory.  Look for yourself.
Apparently, this wasn’t sufficient for him, because when I saw him again he asked if he could look at one and, upon hearing me clear my throat, said “That’s right. I actually need you to help me. I know it’s a big job.” Fuck.You. So you know, my throat dries out fairly quickly, so I almost always have to clear my throat before speaking.

All I could think was; ‘Well what the hell kind of answer did you want from me? ‘Well sir, if you and a friend get the same key chain, you can put them together and get the wonder-twin powers.’….?’

Some people should not be allowed to socialize in any way. That man was one of them.  Also, I have a general pet peeve of people talking to me as if I was 16. I’m 22 years old. I graduated high school, and I have shitty-ass job that pays marginally above minimum wages and gives me 30 hours/week, if I’m lucky. No vacation time. No benefits. I have earned the right to be treated like an adult. It’s either that, or I start acting like the 16 year old you seem to think I am.