Tonight At 11: Mom Coats Baby In Semigloss
(Two women walk up with their little babies, still young enough to be carried around wrapped in blankets.)
Lady 1: “How much is face painting for the kids?”
Me: “Three dollars, ma’am.”
Lady #1: “Could you charge us less ’cause our kids are small?”
Me: *looking for her kids, thinking she can’t possibly be referring to the babies* “How small are they?”
Lady #1: “They’re babies!”
Me: *eyes popping out* “Excuse me?”
Lady #2: “We’re HOLDIN’ ‘EM! They’re babies!”
Me: “Um, ma’am, I don’t think I can paint on your infants.”
Lady# 2: “Well, why NOT?”
Me: “Because this is heavy professional paint. It says right on the label, ‘Not for use for children under three years.’ It’ll irritate their skin.”
Lady #1: “So you won’t paint our babies?”
Me: “No, ma’am. I can’t do that. It’s not safe.”
Lady #1: “There ain’t no sign that says you won’t!”
Me: “I should think that kinda goes without saying…”
Lady #1: “So, this means we waited in that line for NOTHING?”
Lady #2: “Y’all should put up a sign or something that says you won’t face paint on babies, ’cause I thought that was y’all’s job.”
Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ve been doing this for years and nobody’s ever tried to have an infant painted before, so I never thought I’d have to mention it. It’s dangerous.”
Lady #1: “Well, that just ain’t fair! D***, if I knew you wouldn’t do it, I wouldn’t’ve waited in that line!”
Lady #2: “Y’all need to put up a sign or something! I thought this was for the KIDS! Aren’t babies kids?”
Me: “I’ve already explained: it’s dangerous. I won’t do it, and neither will any of my coworkers.”
Lady #2: *as they’re both walking away* “That just ain’t fair. They should have a sign.”
Me: “Have a nice afternoon, ladies!”
(I found out later that, after I left, the women came back twice to different painters trying to get someone to face-paint on their infants. Both times, they were told the same thing.)
This story is part of our dangerous parents roundup!
Read the next dangerous parents roundup story!
Read the dangerous parents roundup!
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
