The Storyteller (with a comic)

[KhirasHY]

This one wasn't so much a SC, more of an annoyance But I found it so funny, I had to post it. As I'm walking into work, my CW is checking an older lady in. It sounds like she's finished, because the woman is rambling a bit. I hear this as I walk in

Storyteller Woman (STW): Well, when your house is 98% complete, you can live in it, but you don't pay property taxes until it's finished.

I give a weird look at her back, and walk into the employee area to go get clocked in and ready. After getting into full uniform, I walk back behind the desk area (where she can't see me), and listen in a bit more, and start hearing tidbits. She's talking about how she hates how they file forms in the military now, and how the forms are too long. She's talking about the history of Bosnian and Serbian conflicts in Chechnya. She's talking about how the wife of someone she knew in the military basically ran from her (gee, maybe because you sound like you're out of your fucking mind).

Meanwhile, I'm sitting in the back office trying not to laugh my ass off as CW is stuck with this woman. After about 30-40 minutes total, according to CW, she finally leaves and we can talk about her This exact conversation ensues:



Enjoy

[Mr Hero]

Now where were we? Oh yeah: the important thing was I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time.

[An Haddock]

"...or as we called it, a 'walking bird.'"


Yeah, if me or one of the techs sees a customer babbling on and wasting someone's time, we'll take one of the phones in the back and call the shop. If the person being bothered grabs the phone it's their "out". Otherwise someone can just say "it's for you - it's an emergency".

Doesn't work so good when I'm stuck here by myself... like when I had to deal with some anti-government/conspiracy nut last week.

[Teskeria]

When you have a conspiracy nut, after you finish what needs to be done, lean forward as far as you can, beckoning them to lean forward also, while saying holding your other finger in a shush motion. then whisper softly 'No more. I think they have this area bugged. I'm taking a chance warning you.'
Then lean back and in your regular tone wish them a great stay or whatever you normally say when done with a guest.

[Seanette]

That's one of my big challenges, getting the chatty ones moving along so I can help the person behind them. I don't want to be rude, and in a lot of cases, it's an older person I suspect is lonely, so I really don't want to be mean.

[Ted_The_IT_Guy]

Now where were we? Oh yeah: the important thing was I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time.

How many bees did you pay for that onion?

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

At least in retail you have escape routes around. You get stuck with one of those people on the phone and there's nowhere to go. Not even a scheduled training or lunch break can save you from the rambling SC. Supervisors DO have the ability to jump into a call and bail us out but they seldom use it.

[MoonCat]

At least in retail you have escape routes around. You get stuck with one of those people on the phone and there's nowhere to go.

Sad but true. I have occasionally messaged a co-worker to call me on my other line so I can tell the rambling customer that my other line is ringing "and it's the supervisor, I have to get that call."

[wolfie]

You get stuck with one of those people on the phone and there's nowhere to go. Not even a scheduled training or lunch break can save you from the rambling SC.

And with some places, management would write you up for being late for scheduled training, despite the fact that you're forbidden to hang up on a long-winded caller in order to get to the training on time. They'd also not adjust the end time for your lunch break even though the start was delayed by an extended call.