A Month Early And A Day Late

I work in a bicycle store. People can pay money for their bikes each time they come in if they can’t afford to pay in a lump sum. This woman has just paid off her last payment but over a month before the due date. We build bikes the day before they are due to go out so there is no damage from being stored near many other bikes in a small space. I normally work in the hardware department, but I know a little bit about the bike department.

Customer: “I want to pick my bike up now; it’s all paid for, so it should be ready.”

Me: “Okay, I’ll call [Coworker] and ask him to bring it downstairs for you.”

I am assuming the bike is due for today.

Coworker: “I’ve checked and it’s not here. Can you check the due date?”

Me: *To the customer* “Oh, it says here that your bike isn’t due to collect until the thirty-first, so it hasn’t been built yet. We don’t build until a day or two before so they’re not damaged from sitting in the back.”

Customer: “That’s disgraceful! I’ve done this several times with my children’s bikes. Why isn’t my bike ready?”

My coworker comes downstairs.

Coworker: “I’m sorry, but we can have it built for next week or a few days from now.”

Customer: “That’s unacceptable. I have to work every single day! I need it now!”

Coworker: “Okay, how about tomorrow?”

Customer: “I can’t get here. I had to get a friend to drop me off; I live at [place]!”

Her home is not as far as where I live, and I walk to work. My coworker also lives near me and cycles.

Coworker: “Right… I can ask my manager what to do if you want.”

Customer: “Get a manager; I want to speak to him now. This is unacceptable!”

It is now after closing time.

Manager: “I’ll get someone to build it and drop it off tomorrow, ma’am. Would that be all right?”

Customer: “I suppose that would be all right… but it has to be before I go to work at twelve.”

Manager: “Well, I can have it built for ten am—” *when we open on a Sunday* “—and someone will drive it round for you.”

Customer: “No, I can get here for ten am, that’s all right. I’ll get my friend to drop me off again.”

Manager: “We’ll have it ready for opening tomorrow, then. See you then.”

We could all tell she was talking rubbish as she was in the driver’s seat, alone in the car, as she pulled up, and her story changed several times. The best part was that she didn’t turn up at the store until twelve the next day and spent a good ten minutes walking round the store before she came to collect her bike. So much for having to be at work for twelve!