"What if I was only in the garage for 2 seconds?"

[snugglegirl05]

My co-worker had already arrived at work when this customer drove up to the booth window.

me:me
cheap female customer: cfc

me: "Hi, how may I help you?"
cfc: "Hi, I'm here to go to the libray."
me: "You have 2 choices. You can either park here for a $5.00 flat rate from one minute to all day or you can park across the street at the meter parking."
cfc: "How much is the meter parking?"
*the meter parking is owned & operated by the city, not the campus. I only know that the meters take dimes, nickles, & quarters*
me:"The meters take change: nickels, dimes, & quarters. It is owned & operated by the city."
cfc: "So it is $5.00 to park here."
me: "Yes, a $5.00 flat rate from one minute to all day."
cfc: *checks her wallet for $5.00* "Well...I have the $5.00. Where do I pay at?"
me: "You can either pay at the vending machine on the garage level inside the glass elevator lobby or at the Parking office on the 3rd floor"

I raise the gate for her to enter. My co-worker heard the entire conversation.

The phone inside the booth rings. I look up & see a car at the exit gate. It looks familiar.

me: "Visitor Parking booth. How may I help you?"
cfc: "Yeah..I can't get out of the garage. Where do I pay for my parking?"
*The customers voice sounded familiar, & the car looked familiar. I had a feeling this person wanted to get out for free*
me: "You either pay at the vending machine located on the same level you parked your car or at the Parking office on the third level."
cfc: "What if I was only in the garage for 2 seconds?"
*Yeah..right.. you were only in the garage for 2 seconds. It probably takes 2 seconds for me to raise the gate at the booth*
me:"I'm sorry, but I told you when you arrived you had to pay for your parking. It's $5.00 to exit."
cfc: *with an irritated voice* "ok"
I hang up the phone & watch to see if she backs up. She backs up & goes to pay for her parking.

cw: co-worker
me: me

cw: "What did she say?"
me: "Oh, she told me she was only in the garage for 2 seconds."
cw: "Just pay for your parking. It does not take that long to do that."
me: "Yeah...& this is a new one, someone telling me that they were only in the garage for 2 seconds"
cw:

[Bright_Star]

She could have been in the garage for 2 tenths of a second-STILL GOTTA PAY!