Ah! The ongoing saga of my not-quite-life at The Beanhouse.
A couple weeks ago, I had this exchange with a customer we’ll call Scary Buzz-Cut Girl — a person I know is gainfully employed at the store across the street:
Scary Buzz-Cut Girl: I want a small, soy, sugar-free vanilla latte.
Me: Okay. (ringing it up) That’s 2.60.
SB-CG: Oh. (searching her pockets, handing me 2 dollars) That’s all I have.
Me: Hmm. Well, it’s 2.60.
A couple of people had lined up behind her.
SB-CG: Well, I don’t have 2.60. (eyeing a jar on the counter) Can’t you just take the rest from your tips?
Me: I could, but I won’t. I’d be taking tips from my coworkers.
Yeah, yeah. Such a small amount, you might say, what’s the big deal? But, silly me, I actually think it’s the principle of the thing. How can you even ask that, Scary Buzz-Cut Girl? She never once said Okay, just forget it or I’ll go across the street and get more money while you help these other people who also exist on the planet or anything remotely like that. No. If memory serves, her response was:
SB-CG: 
I admit it; I was getting flustered — and the line was growing behind Scary Buzz-Cut Girl. She just stood there …. you know:
Me: Okay. Here’s what I’ll do. (digging in my pocket) I’ll put in 60 cents myself.
SB-CG: Oh.
I dropped her money AND mine into the cash drawer while she walked away to retrieve her prissy drink …. without another word, without even a backward glance. Nuttin’.
If memory serves, my response was:
Me:
So fast-forward with me, dear reader, to just the other day, when Scary Buzz-Cut Girl came into The Beanhouse again. She strolled up to me, nonchalant, la-di-da.
Me (effusive with fake emotion): Oh, HI, Scary Buzz-Cut Girl!! Hey, you kNo-o-Ow …. don’t you owe me 60 cents?
SB-CG: What?! What for??
Me: Oh, you know …. when you came in here about two weeks ago and didn’t have enough money for your latte?
SB-CG: Oh …. yeah. Well, whatever. Here. I’ll just put it in the tip thing. (plopping money into the “tip thing”)
Me (despicably fake): Okay! Great!!
As she walked away, I took my money out of the tip jar.
And you know what? I never would have even asked — if only she’d said
Thank you.
It gets even worse: we’re under orders to FORGIVE these people!
I like the way you put that, Dave. Like, didn’t you get the memo?
Team members,
We regret to inform you that now not only must you make every best attempt to be cheerful and nice to everyone you meet, but you must also truly forgive anyone who has wronged you — no matter how grievous.
Thanks,
Management
Heaven
LOL!!! Love this part:
(despicably fake): Okay! Great!!
You are my hero for asking her to pay you back! You ROCK! I cannot believe she never even said Thank You. Except that it happened to me too … My next-door-neighbor had just moved in about 7 days before when the battery in her car died so she came over to borrow my jumper cables. When I handed them to her she instantly turned her back and walked away without a word.
What is wrong with people!?!?
doesn’t it make you want to correct them, much how a mother would do her learning toddler:
“Okay… now, what do you saaaaYYYYY???
How incredibly RUDE! As if it’s YOUR fault she didn’t have the cash to pay for her drink. And as if YOU’RE being rude for asking her to ACTUALLY PAY for the drink SHE ordered. Ok, I’ll stop with the egregious use of caps now. Good for you for calling her on it the next time she came in.
It’s really all about attitude, isn’t it? If she came up short and was actually apologetic about it, and thanked you for covering her, it would make a world of difference. Rude people. GRR!
Reminds me of the story of the ten lepers…and the one out of ten who returned to give thanks for his healing!
ONE IN TEN!
I loved your little frowny faces. Good visuals.
And good reminders from your readership.
it’s estimated that in our culture about 1 in 20 is some sort of sociopath – no empathy, no conscience. Sound like anyone you know?
Great comments, group.
Yeah, Lyn, but I’ll bet Jesus didn’t do the frowny face.
Tracey, I love that you asked for your money back! I hate this about myself, but I would feared reprisal from Scary Buzz-Cut Girl. Maybe a little soy, sugar-free vanilla latte splashed in my face after she made me buy it for her.
Argh! I can’t BELIEVE the lack of manners in this country!