It Pays To Be Nice
I had been at the library for four hours already, and in one more hour, we would close. I was not very eager to help an older woman (whose voice indicated that she had probably smoked since she was old enough to unwrap a box of cigarettes) who complained that her copy card had a balance of zero dollars.
Copy cards can be purchased for $1. That's how much the card costs. You have to deposit money onto it after you purchase it--the dollar you spent to BUY the card does not go onto the account. The card isn't free. I explained that to her and she rolled her eyes. No patron is ever happy to hear that. She certainly wasn't either. She barely had any money to begin with; she gave me nickels and dimes in exchange for three $1 bills (the card machine takes paper money only).
About 15 minutes later, she came back all huffy that the copier took a bunch of her money. Well it also had a paper jam, which I was able to clear up. But apparently it also made 15 copies of the same page, and she only requested ONE copy. So it took $1.50 from her. I told her we couldn't give her money back, she'd have to talk to Polar Express. She was very unhappy. I went back to the desk, and then she hollered, "There! It just took my money again!" I guess this time it took her remaining fifty cents. She did her best not to swear as she expressed how "our machines take her money," and "how much money she spends at the library" against her will.
I told my supervisor that the copier has been disobedient apparently. In my own mind, I assumed she was probably doing it wrong. He said we couldn't refund her money, but he could hear her talking loudly to us in his office, so he opened his wallet and gave me two dollars to give to her (the amount she lost).
Funny how sometimes we pay people to shut up.
Or how throwing a fit can pay off.
She accepted the "refund" but said she was upset with the copier and didn't want to use it anymore. But she had to. So she chose a different one, and I helped her try to do it right (this other copier said it was out of toner too, but when I opened and shut the toner panel, it decided it was lying). I really just wanted to get away from this lady--she was very grouchy and she probably thought that I was against her, that I was on The Man's side, trying to pass her along to my supervisor or Polar Express instead of helping her. I was willing to help her, but I didn't want her to be angry at ME, personally, for the complexities of technology.
Well she pressed the buttons on the copier and it did exactly what it was told. She grinned and thanked me genuinely, saying that I was a saint. She apologized for being difficult, and I assured her it wasn't a problem, that these machines are tricky. I went back to the desk.
Ten minutes later or so, when she passed the desk on her way out of the library, she smiled and said to me, "Thank you so much, you've been an angel all night! When you go to sleep tonight you should feel very good about yourself!"
I think I will. I think I will.
Copy cards can be purchased for $1. That's how much the card costs. You have to deposit money onto it after you purchase it--the dollar you spent to BUY the card does not go onto the account. The card isn't free. I explained that to her and she rolled her eyes. No patron is ever happy to hear that. She certainly wasn't either. She barely had any money to begin with; she gave me nickels and dimes in exchange for three $1 bills (the card machine takes paper money only).
About 15 minutes later, she came back all huffy that the copier took a bunch of her money. Well it also had a paper jam, which I was able to clear up. But apparently it also made 15 copies of the same page, and she only requested ONE copy. So it took $1.50 from her. I told her we couldn't give her money back, she'd have to talk to Polar Express. She was very unhappy. I went back to the desk, and then she hollered, "There! It just took my money again!" I guess this time it took her remaining fifty cents. She did her best not to swear as she expressed how "our machines take her money," and "how much money she spends at the library" against her will.
I told my supervisor that the copier has been disobedient apparently. In my own mind, I assumed she was probably doing it wrong. He said we couldn't refund her money, but he could hear her talking loudly to us in his office, so he opened his wallet and gave me two dollars to give to her (the amount she lost).
Funny how sometimes we pay people to shut up.
Or how throwing a fit can pay off.
She accepted the "refund" but said she was upset with the copier and didn't want to use it anymore. But she had to. So she chose a different one, and I helped her try to do it right (this other copier said it was out of toner too, but when I opened and shut the toner panel, it decided it was lying). I really just wanted to get away from this lady--she was very grouchy and she probably thought that I was against her, that I was on The Man's side, trying to pass her along to my supervisor or Polar Express instead of helping her. I was willing to help her, but I didn't want her to be angry at ME, personally, for the complexities of technology.
Well she pressed the buttons on the copier and it did exactly what it was told. She grinned and thanked me genuinely, saying that I was a saint. She apologized for being difficult, and I assured her it wasn't a problem, that these machines are tricky. I went back to the desk.
Ten minutes later or so, when she passed the desk on her way out of the library, she smiled and said to me, "Thank you so much, you've been an angel all night! When you go to sleep tonight you should feel very good about yourself!"
I think I will. I think I will.