Nicest Tip Ever!

[Myra]

I have this regular I've been helping out. Her hubby had a birthday recently, and also a week later, was to have shoulder surgery. She wanted to get him a new cell phone that would work with a bluetooth headset since he's supposed to be resting that shoulder. We helped her pick one out, and he liked it. She's come back to have us program it up and to show him how to set up his bluetooth.

Today she phoned about some accessories he wanted. I didn't have either of what she was looking for and offered to order them. So I took her number down and told her when they'd be in.

We small talked a bit, and she explained her husband worked as a wine distributor. "Oh wow he must be busy right now!" Poor guy is lucky if he gets a Sunday off. She then said "Oh do you drink wine? What kind do you like? I'll bring you a bottle..."

This is where I had to just almost cry. I'm a bit of a wine nerd, but right now I'm pregnant. I know one glass once in a while is okay, but I know I couldn't stop with just one so I've been abstaining. I had to politely turn her down.

"I'm pregnant right now, so no wine for me this Christmas!"

She couldn't believe it, but then again, I'm only 4 months along and our uniforms are baggy, so what little I am showing right now isn't noticable. She teased me about being skinny, and we laughed a lot, then we said our good-byes.

I just thought it was sweet she was offering to bring me a bottle of wine. "Any kind you like," she even offered. Oh man, what I wouldn't give for a nice bottle. haven't had anything other than grocery store wine in so long! That would have definately been the nicest tip I've ever gotten, hands down!

[Spiffy McMoron]

I thought of this story when I was reading yours-it's not technically a Sucky customer story, but it's a story with wine being a tip, so I think it works.

My aunt used to work in an elementary school doing some administrative work, and helping out in the cafeteria. Quite often she was in contact with the students, and alot of the students liked her. At Christmastime, alot of the children would give something to the teacher, and sometimes a few others that the student really liked/respected-like my aunt. Most of the, it's chocolates or scented candles-no harm, no foul. But this school, for whatever reason, had a significant percentage of the student population come from Portugese desent. Why they did this, I'll never know, but instead of bringing in a box of Pot Of Gold, the parents would send their child to school with a bottle of wine or two! Now mind you that it was only a select few who did this, but they all had Portugese backgrounds. My aunt got a bottle of (apparently, quite nice) wine from a student several years in a row, and never could figure out how to graciously accept it. She would basically quietly accept the wine (because how could you tell a 7-year-old that you don't like his gift?) and immediently take it out to her car and put it in the trunk. It still baffles her to this day.

[cheese]

Am I missing something there? Whats wrong with getting a bottle of nice wine for a gift? Yummy. Its not like shes going to open it at work.

[MadMike]

Am I missing something there? Whats wrong with getting a bottle of nice wine for a gift? Yummy. Its not like shes going to open it at work.

I think the issue is that a child had a bottle of wine, and had brought it to school, no less.

I'm not sure how the laws work where you are, but here in the States, they'd go just a little nuts over a minor, especially a young child, being in possession of any kind of alcohol.

[Spiffy McMoron]

I think the issue is that a child had a bottle of wine, and had brought it to school, no less.

Exactly. It's not the gift of wine itself, it's just the delivery person. The situation probably would have been different had the parents tracked her down after parent/teacher interviews, or brought it after school.

It still an unusual gift to give to the person who cares for your child five days a week, though.

[LostMyMind]

It still an unusual gift to give to the person who cares for your child five days a week, though.

Maybe the parent knew the teacher needed it. Some parents do know what their kids are up to

[HYHYBT]

My understanding is that wine keeps very well... you could accept the gift, and save it for after the baby comes.