I assure you, sir, I do not work for the CIA

[Pixelated]

At The Mothership, when we take drink orders, we ask for the person's name (for some stupid reasons and a few practical ones).

Today I went to take an order for a brewed coffee from an older guy. Brewed coffees, unlike the complex other drinks, are often fetched by the cashier, or (during busy times, like early mornings) by the "Order Support" person. I assumed I would get his coffee as the OS person was already running in five directions at once.

Me: "And your name?"

SC: "Why do you need my name?"

Me: "Um, so when we put your coffee down over there [gestures to the far end of the counter] we can call you and let you know it's there."

SC: "So you're out of coffee?"

Me: "No, we've got coffee."

SC: "Then why do you need my name?"

Me: "So ... we can call you when we put your coffee down ..."

SC: "So you ARE out of coffee!"

We actually went around this once or twice more. I finally turned to just GET him his coffee and when I turned back, he had stomped out the door.

Me:

The manager told me that we don't actually have to take names for brewed coffees, and also he told me, several times, not to worry about it. Trust me, Mr. Manager, I am not going to waste any worry over some nutjob.

[kibbles]

Buddy is a Grade A idiot! We have a local restaurant that asks names for the exact reason you said, so they can call your name when your order is ready..how hard is that to understand?

[Bandit]

How shiny was his tinfoil hat?

B

[Slave to the Phone]

I do phone interviews. My clients are sitting at a kiosk, talking to me on the phone.

I always ask my client their birthday, to help verify that I am talking to the right person. There is sometimes resistance about saying personal information like that over the phone. One woman won the prize, though. She refused to say her birthday or last name over the phone, but was very willing to tell me her Social Security number.

However, the story I want to tell is about the neighbor I have out in the middle of nowhere.

30 years ago, we bought 20 acres of unimproved land. We cut a road and would go up and camp. We had a neighbor who bought his 40 acres with the intention of living out in the middle of nowhere. As neighbors do, we visited and looked at what he had done.

No house, a food garden, water barrels, septic tank and a concrete bunker. A fully equipped fall out shelter, but it had a keypad that you had to use to get out.

This was because the aliens couldn't beam their rays through 2 feet of concrete and even if they did, he would be too confused to remember the code to get out if they tried to abduct him.

Nice guy, showed me how to use a crossbow. Batshit crazy, but a very good neighbor.

[little_miss_springfield]

Maybe he thought "call" meant you were going to call him on the phone when his coffee was ready. That would mean it was going to take a long time, which would mean you were out of coffee and had to wait to get more.

Still kind of a nutty reaction.

[notalwaysright]

SC: "Why do you need my name?"

I doubt he was of the tinfoil hat variety, I think he was just being a straight up SC. He's used to the coffee being plunked right down, and since you didn't do that he's going to be an ass about it. Like, he thought you didn't know what you were doing, so he asks this question over and over to "show" you that you were wrong. I imagine that he thought this is how it would go:

SC: So you ARE out of coffee?!
You: No, I'm so sorry for asking for your name, I don't need it, here's your coffee!

But since you didn't do that he storms off in a huff. I know when people order brewed coffee it's true they don't usually ask for a name, but is it really that big a deal if you ask? My mom hates having to give her name, she feels it's intrusive. (I know, don't get me started) But over the years she started using the first letter of her name, since her full name is both unusually spelled and unusually pronounced so it's kind of awkward to give it. She just says her name is Kay and is not mean about it. Anyways I bet you that guy didn't care about giving his name, though, I just think he wanted to be difficult.

[dalesys]

But you are a member of the CIA. Canadians in Apiculture.

Now, about that bee in your bonnet, sir...

[siskaren]

Now, about that bee in your bonnet, sir...

You mean the stick up his ass, right?

[dalesys]

You mean the stick up his ass, right?

That's handled by Canadian Intensive Arborists.

[Mr Hero]

How shiny was his tinfoil hat?

B

Thought control rays, psychotronic scanning
Don't mind that, He's protected 'cause he made this hat
From aluminum foil
Wear a hat that's foil-lined
In case an alien's inclined
To probe his butt or read his mind

[Mental_Mouse]

This does seem excessive... that said, I recently told a haircutting place's front desk: "No. You do not need my contact information to cut my hair". (They'd wanted E-mail and phone number.)

[csquared]

If you are making an appointment, I can see wanting the information so that they can contact you if there is any problems.

If you are a walk-in, no.

[protege]

You mean the stick up his ass, right?

Stick? More like a flagpole.

[Cia]

I'm not sure if I'm a member of the CIA or not. *confused*

[Kit-Ginevra]

Cheerleaders Intensely Arousing?

will go and consider that for a few mins