"Not So Special, K?"

[alory_shannon]

~

I think I should really start posting a "Library Story of the Day", because almost EVERY day that I go into work, I get asked questions that anyone with an ounce of common sense would not have to ask. For example, I had this exchange with a patron at the library today:

Middle-Aged Lady: -beckons me over to her computer, where I find that she

Comments

[peace_piper]

I would've told her.

I had this woman come up to me the other day when I was volunteering and insisted that her $2 ticket entitled her to both a drink and a salad. No, salads are $2. We don't even have beverages to give up. If you had another $1 ticket, you could get a 16oz beverage. Pretty generous, IMO. A full meal for $3, but she stood there arguing with us about her entitlement and I finally had to be rude with her (I'm working for free, no one treats me like unless i'm getting paid) and tell her to stop being such a cheapskate and either get a salad or stalk her ass off to the drink booth and give them a hard time.

People.

[alory_shannon]

I'm sure you would've.

I hate it when people think that if they bitch about something enough, they'll get their way. I'm glad you told that woman to step off, because I hate it even more when the bitching does indeed prove to be productive. It's not fair to the good patrons who quietly accept larger fines that some drama queen who throws a hissy over $10 gets out of it. >\

[peace_piper]

Well, like I mentioned, I was volunteering. What can they honestly do? They can't dock my pay. Fire me? I'm a pretty cheap bastard, myself, but a dollar? She was going to bitch over a damn DOLLAR. She was the only one that presented that attitude to me that whole day and we must've served salads to over 300 people.

Kowtowing to people like that only re-enforces bad behaviour. "I was here last time and I got what I wanted by being a bitch. Do it this time too!" What I really hated was when a so-called "manager" would come up and tell them exactly what I just told them, but because he/she is a "manager" they accept it. Or worse, they bow to them, give them what they want and I look like the bad guy for following the rules.

And that's why I don't have a job. I have too much self-respect to sit there and take some housewife's crap.

[alory_shannon]

Most of the time, I just stand there and take the bitching, but am firm but polite about the fact that the fine is still there~ and would they like to pay with a credit card, or cash? ^_^ Because getting yelled at really just annoys me more than anything. I'm not that easily intimidated.

...But yeah, usually the manager steps in and gives them their way. -_- And I agree, that's one of the suckiest things ever.

Hmmm, self-respect, eh? I thought it was 'cause you were lazy. XDDD

[peace_piper]

It's funny to watch them get all riled up when you sit there calmly (me? With a blank, almost bored and confused look on my face) and watch them get angrier and angrier when you keep telling them, "No. It's against policy." (Or whatever the case may be.)

Of course. I am king of lazy. But, I also took a lot of verbal abuse from my mom over the years and I refused to take it anymore. From her or from anyone. No one gets to cut me down with words, not for free, not for minimum wage, not even for $300/hour.