Don't give in to hesitation
A little Recent History; AKA Background
Today seemed to be never ending. I woke up and biked into work. I then proceeded to work a very LONG, agonizing shift. We were ridiculously understaffed and incredibly busy. I was placed in children's for the duration, with sporadic calls to the register. We also had a little help from another store. They sent over one of their managers, who decided to completely take over and irritate the few people that were working today. That compounded on a HUGE pile of recovery, further training in children's as well as customer service, I was exhausted and more than ready to leave. I did so via my two-wheeled best friend. On the way home I had a man who found himself with an itch to scratch offering me a ride home while I was trying to cross 70. This is neither a new experience nor a big deal, just one more thing to ad to my already tested patience. I got home and decided that I really wanted some nourishing lemonade tea, apples and peanut butter, and cigarettes. I walked up to WAWA which is not a long hike in the least. I got there grabbed money from the ATM and the necessary sustenance. I moseyed on over to the counter, placed my items down and requested a pack of my favorite, Marlboro 100's. The woman behind said counter decided that I must not be of age. Because I buy the delicious cancer sticks every three days from this particular WAWA and have not been carded in at least two months, I had decided to not bother bringing along identification. She refused to give me the fags and offered a hardly enthusiastic "Have a Good Day." I was irritated by this, but decided that I would just let it slide and go back and get my ID.I was annoyed by hits, but it's her job and I can't really hold it against her just because I have had a trying day. I returned shortly there after with Passport and money in hand and requested, again, Marlboro 100's. She took the ID and decided to read all the information provided, not just my DOB. She then took my money and scanned Marlboro Lights. She flopped them down and I immediately pushed them towards her along with the comment, "No, I asked for Marlboro 100's." "...Oh. Marlboro Light 100's?" she responded while grabbing the distasteful pack. "No. Marlboro 100's" "Just regular???" "...Yes..." She again flopped the pack I had now requested of her four times by name. I grabbed it and she gave me my change. With an expression of pure spite and distaste, she said again," Have a good day!" but this time with more sarcastic enthusiasm than I have heard in a good while.
Now that I have all the background information required out of the way, would you like to hear what I did about it?!
Nothing.
I walked out the door without another word uttered. I wanted more than the cigarettes themselves to open up the pack, light a cigarette, blow the smoke in her face, and state with sincere, composure-breaking coldness, You, too, and saunter out the door. Although this would have been beneficial to all parties present, except, of course, the woman inhaling the insulting second hand smoke. Everyone in attendance, including myself and the woman behind the register, would have had a little story to tell for quite a while. Witnesses would have been able to live sporadically something they probably would have loved to do at some point or another themselves. Im sure the details would have been quite different, but everyone has had an experience with a testy cashier, rude waiter, belittling boss, etc. Everyone has desired, at one point in time, to return discourtesy in a like or superior degree.
I did not follow my instincts to return the favor of her kindness. In refraining from doing so, I am sitting here at my computer, wasting time, mulling over my disappointing custody of reservations, while She Runs Away by Duncan Sheik reverberates in my skull (thank you Khols).
Kids, the moral of the story is dont reserve your sadistic tendencies for retaliation because of logic or common courtesy for others. It will only result in some wasted time pondering your discontentment in you r lack of action.