...ok, I'm going to say a sentence & you then comment with the FIRST thing that enters your mind after I've said it, ok?
First, a preface to the situation:
Say you were a girl in her early 20's, very early, with your cell phone glued to your ear & deep in conversation.
Now let's say that, while this conversation is taking place, you're "working",
(& believe me, I use that term loosely)
at a GAS STATION no less,
(aren't there dangers associated with cell phone use at gas stations? I digress...)
and so a little white VW pulls in, cute daughter in tow in the back, THANKFULLY SOUND ASLEEP, and you roll down your window & holding onto a $20.- say the following:
"$20.-, or fill it up, whichever comes first please..."
(here's the part where you comment your initial thoughts on that sentence.
Does it make sense to you or are you left wondering?)
Girl appeared to hear that sound came from my face region,
however, what she understood it to mean, was yet left to be seen.
I sit, I wait, I'm watching the numbers go up & up & up some more...
...all the while I'm watching said girl chat & chat
& chat some more, some 15 feet away from my car,
as she's digging around in her own car, for God knows what,
which is apparently buried amongst what I can only assume, was supposed to be the backseat.
Cost now goes up to $21.- & stops.
(what do you want, it's a 10 gallon capacity VW Golf!)
Girl comes over to my window, I hand her the $20.-, she looks puzzled & a bit annoyed:
"Uh, it's $21.- bucks, not $20.-..."
her tone is already disrespectful & a bit disgusted with the 'stupid' woman in the white VW,
who clearly can't read numbers she's decided.
I reply: "Yes, I know that, but had you listened to me when I first got here, you'd have known that I only had $20.- because I said to you '$20. or fill it up, whichever comes first..."
Girl replies: "Yah, well you didn't tell me you just had the $20, you said fill it up!"
annoyed for sure now & raising her voice.
I reply: "First of all, I'll thank you to NOT raise your voice in front of my daughter.
Second of all, I actually didn't say 'fill it up', what I DID say was: $20. OR fill it up, whichever comes FIRST, which, HAD YOU BEEN LISTENING & NOT GLUED TO YOUR CELL PHONE, you'd have understood to mean that I only had $20. and to be sure not to pump more than that."
Girl replies: (yelling now) "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME YOU JUST HAD $20 BUCKS! YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THAT!!! I'M GOING TO GET MY MANAGER!!!!!!!!!"
I reply, with a smile: "Please do."
She stomps off, yelling under her breath all the while, only to disappear inside the main office for a few minutes. I can hear yelling back & forth between her & who I assume is her boss.
She returns with an older man who, all the way towards my car, keeps saying to her "SHUT UP!"
(Oh goody, this should be fun.)
Sarcasm anyone?
So, the boss man walks up to my window with her in tow & he smiles at me & says:
"It's ok, I know you, you come here alot and you always say same thing,
fill it or 20 whatever come first,
it ok, she just not pay attention."
As he's saying this, SHE'S LIVID screaming at him right behind him within striking distance & instantly my Italian childhood flashed before my eyes...
Man, if you're upset at something in my house in the 70's, you can attempt to scream at your dad but you best be sure you're at least MORE than an arms length away, and even better if you're more than a quick LUNGE LENGTH AWAY before you start your squawking...
...many a wooden spoon was shattered on my ass as a direct result of screaming, coupled with absolute misjudgement of distance on my part! OUCH!
Moving on... so she's pissed & yelling, he's trying desperately not to lose a customer, which he won't because I've been going there for as long as I can remember, and they're BOTH yelling obscenities at each other sporadically.
I interrupt them both & say: "Sir, with all due respect, I'm going to ask that you BOTH stop raising your voices in the presence of my daughter. Second, I'm sure had she NOT been on her cell phone at the time of my pulling up, she would've heard me correctly & this whole thing could have been avoided and third, you are not going to lose me as a customer, I come here all the time & quite frankly, if I had the extra dollar to give you, I'd be happy to do so, but I don't unfortunately.
Boss says: "Oh no, I'm a so sorry that you have to hear the yelling and deal with her, she's a not good person & she is leaving here TODAY!"
Ooooookkkkkkkk, didn't see that coming.
I smile & say my thank you's to the man,
& drive off for home with my sleeping, oblivious child in tow.
Who knew getting gas was so much drama?
OYYYYYYYYY VEYYYYYYYYYY!
As I'm exiting the station, from out of the corner of my eye I see him yelling at her & her screaming back, several colorful hand gestures & her last action was to turn & look at my car as it's driving off...
...lovely, a disgruntled, disrespectful annoying young person with zero respect for anyone,
got a good second look at the old VW with the PLETHORA of PEACE STICKERS & DEAD HEAD STICKERS & METALLICA STICKERS & RED SOX STICKERS PLASTERED ALL OVER THE BACK WINDOW.
Incognito I am not.
(& now, we wait...*)
*should there be a need for an update to this post,
TRUST ME,
you'll get one.
Let's just hope that there isn't a need for one any time soon...
