Surrounded: Outmanned and outgunned.

[ShadowTiger]

Interesting thread title. I know.

For those special occasions where you're just plain surrounded and don't have any backup coming for leagues out to the horizon and beyond, what do you say when confronted by more than one person at a time, or even by that one person that wants you to completely cease all productions with your current customer to heroically go gallivanting triumphantly to their aid?

For example, I'm cutting about sixteen keys for a customer (Four times four; not at all unreasonable) with a line six people deep, with at least eight people in the nearby loose screws aisles, two of which are eyeballing me, tapping their toes waiting for my attention so I can pinpoint their charge for them rather than having them indulge in the self-service nature of the aisles they are currently in.


My own preferred response to "I need help. Now." is: "My good sir/mademoiselle, my pact with you is to give you as much aid as you allow me to give to my current customer. Thank you."

So far, it hasn't blown up in my face.

[Pixilated]

That's an excellent response! And it probably hasn't blown up because they're spending the next 10 minutes trying to figure out what you just said, LOL!

[Marmalady]

Quoth ShadowTiger

at least eight people in the nearby loose screws aisles

Sounds like the perfect place for SCs to be.

[RealUnimportant]

Sorry, I have to finish this transaction before I can commence another. You're welcome to *list all active alternatives in a succinct manner*.

[Android Kaeli]

Nothing really, considering I have already called for people to help out. Once I do that there's nothing else I can really do, save for blunty telling the truth.