A Customer And A Blowtorch: This Cannot End Well

(At our store, we sell mostly tool related items. At the time, I worked in the welding section and was letting a customer try out a few welding tools. He was trying a MIG welder, which requires you to be quite close to the work.)

Customer: “Why isn’t this working?” (Holds torch about three feet from work.)

Me: “Well, you have to hold it about an inch away from the work for it to work.”

Customer: “Why isn’t it working?” (He has it about a foot away now.)

Me: “Closer…”

Customer: (Six inches.)

Me: “Closer…”

Customer: (Three inches.)

Me: “Closer…”

Customer: “Why isn’t it working!” (He has just welded the torch to the work.)

Me: “Not that close!”

(This goes on for a good 20 minutes, even after I ran a beautiful bead for him at the right distance.)