I LOVE when jerks visit me at work...

[SavageChihuahua]

Two stories today, surprising as I don't often get SCs.

OMG EXPENSIVE!!

I was working in the kitchen cooking when my best cashier comes up to me. She had just had a customer who asked her how much a small french fry was. She gave him the price (1.99) and he goes from nice to an asshole. He tells her "Up yours! What the hell are you thinking?" And just generally being loud and an idiot and a jerk to my cashier who obviously has no control over how much fries cost. Now, from what she had told me I (mistakenly) thought the guy had left the store. I was surprised that someone was being a jerk over 2 dollar french fries and to my best cashier who I know would have been nothing but polite to the guy. I told my cashier that I was glad he had left and I wouldn't have wanted to serve someone who was being such a jerk about 2 bucks. He could go to Mickey D's or something but not here. Heh, out steps the SC from behind a sign. He goes to my cashier and demands the corporate number and my name and says he's going to complain. He never did but I wish he had. I wouldn't have spoken like that if I had known he was still present but I still meant every word. That guy was stupid.


I need a hearing aid apparently

This time I was running a register. The last man in my line did not step forward when it was his turn but instead stayed about two feet away and mumbled the name of our signature sandwich and said that's it. I barely heard it but I rang it up and then asked "Would you like that for here or to go?" He then looks at me like I'm stupid, steps forward, and asks loudly "Are you deaf?!" I simply smiled and asked my question again. He says "I SAID I wanted a SANDWICH TO GO! God, I swear all you people are deaf." I wanted to roll my eyes and point out that he mumbled the entire thing. I wasn't deaf but I'm not superman either, he needed to flipping speak up. No, instead I smiled, gave him his change and handed him out the order. Then I waited for him to leave before I rolled my eyes (learned my lesson, lol).

[MrSunshineState]

I got that "are you deaf?" a lot when I worked at the movie theatre. Because of course several popcorn machines running at once, ice machines running, soda fountains running, televisions in the lobby showing movie trailers, hundreds of people talking at once, and little kids running around and shrieking make it really easy to hear.

That got under my skin more than most. Me not being able to hear you and asking you to repeat =/= I am stupid and that is the reason I am working at said movie theatre.

[Pixilated]

Gotta love the mumblers who figure that because they can hear themselves, so can everybody else ...

And, heh, yeah, you probably shouldn't have said that about SC #1, but I hope it gave him a few uncomfortable moments before he went off to vent his spleen over $2 fries on somebody else.

Two summers ago I was disappointed not to ever be at the counter at the They're Everywhere! site in N. Falls ... but in retrospect it's a good thing. I think my hearing isn't what it used to be and I have a really hard time hearing people over the general din of places like that. I'll probably be going back there this summer and I think this time I'm going to hope they leave me on cleanup. It can be gross at times but at least I won't develop a permanent rictus from having to always smile.

[MiloMorai]

"Are you deaf?!?!?!?"

Yes actually I am partially deaf. Would you like to repeat your order so I can hear it and make sure I have it correct for you?

They usually wilt at statements like that and nothing to get you in trouble for. It even works if you aren't deaf, but have trouble because of the machinery.

[EricKei]

"Are you deaf?!"

- Come up here to the counter like the rest of the customers and ask me that again. And this time, speak up.

[Seshat]

I'm hearing impaired. It's apparently EXTREMELY common for people with hearing impairments to have more trouble when there's background noise than in a quiet place.

I'd be inclined to respond to 'are you deaf' with 'actually, I do have hearing trouble; especially in noisy places. I'm fine when the customer speaks clearly, however.' Big friendly helpful smile, too.

[Marmalady]

Oh, I remember a good one from when I was at school.

(b/g when I was 6, I had a particularly bad bout of 'flu, my ears (the right one especially) got infected and the worse one has never completely recovered. It improved over time, but mumblers and loud backgrounds still make it awkward for me even now)

In my 4th year at grammar school I had a Maths teacher who disliked me, which I returned with good measure. Anyway, one day we had been given an assignment and I had done it in a way that he didn't want. So in front of the whole class he chewed me out about my mistake.

Him: I said I wanted it done (whatever way) !
Me: I'm sorry sir, I didn't hear you say that.
Him: Then you should go and buy some soap and wash your ears out! Or are you deaf?!
Me: (coldly) Only slightly, sir. The hearing in my right ear is damaged. Would you like me to ask my parents to phone you and tell you about it?

His face fell to below zero and he didn't say any more at the time, but as we were leaving the class he called me to his desk and apologised.

[Eisa]

See, I know I'm terribly quiet, that's why I just repeat myself like a normal human.

[RealUnimportant]

My wife has ninja hearing, yet she's always complaining that I'm too quiet. Obviously with me working in a customer-facing, I have to be loud all day so people can hear me over the trains - yet they too complain when they can't hear me "because of the noise" although they never seem to understand that occasionally I can't hear them for the exact same reason!

[Dreamstalker]

I'm not technically hearing impaired, but I do tend to want to pay attention to everything if there's a lot going on. I can filter stuff out, but when 2-3 things need my attention at once... Especially at the grocery store where the acoustics are perfect for not being able to tune anything out.

I can have ninja hearing when I want to, apparently.