A Different Kind Of Switching Lanes

(I work at an indoor shooting range. My coworker’s favorite anecdote is about a member who makes a reservation for himself and his friend to come in and share a lane, both of whom are regulars there. It’s packed at the time of the reservation, but they manage to keep one lane open when the customer’s friend arrives first. He explains that the member will be ten minutes late and asks if he can go in and use his own pistol in the meantime. My coworker gives him the okay, so he sets up and gets started in their lane. Ten minutes later, the member arrives.)

Member: “Hey, I had a reservation?”

Coworker: “Yeah, your buddy’s already inside on lane 20. As soon as you’re ready, you can go in.”

(The member looks surprised at this. He goes to the windows that look into the lanes, sees his friend firing away, sees that the place is packed, and comes back to the counter.)

Member: “Are there any other lanes available?”

Coworker: “No, we’re full up. But you wanted to share a lane, right?”

Member: “Yes… but… He’s supposed to share my lane.”

Coworker: “He is. We held that lane for your guys. He just got here early and wanted to get started while he was waiting for you.”

Member: “Right, but I don’t want to be on his lane. He’s supposed to be on mine. That’s how the reservation works, right? It’s the member’s lane, not the non-member’s. I can’t be on his lane.”

Coworker: *pause* “You know what? You’re right. Hold on a minute.” *turns on the microphone for the speakers inside the range* “Lane 20, please come out to the front counter.”

Friend: *comes out of the range, confused* “Hey, everything okay?”

Coworker: “Yeah, everything’s fine, but I have a favor to ask. Would you mind getting off your lane, coming back out here, and letting [Member] get on that lane before you go join him, so that you’ll be on his lane instead of him being on yours?”

Friend: *after a long pause during which he probably tries to figure out if this is some kind of trick* “Sure?”

Member: “Oh, man, thank you so much! I’m so sorry, but this is just really important!”

Friend: *now as quietly amused as my coworker* “Yeah, no problem! Totally fine!”

Member: “Man, you saved the evening!”

Coworker: “Glad to help. Enjoy yourselves.”

Member: “We will!”

(The friend dutifully packed up his bag, came back out to the counter, and then joined [Member] in returning to the same lane. My coworker still laughs about it to this day.)