A Sprinkle Of Unreasonableness

(We have two windows at our ice cream stand. I overhear the first exchange at the other window.)

Customer #1: “These sprinkles are stale!”

Manager: “Actually, ma’am, the sprinkles we serve here are crunchy, not soft. I assure you, they’re fresh.”

Customer #1: “I demand a refund!”

Manager: “Since you’ve already eaten the whole cone, I can’t do that for you. I’m sorry.”

([Customer #1] walks away, seemingly understanding. [Customer #2] is from a completely different party. They seem to be strangers. At my window:)

Customer #2: “I’m sorry, but that’s awful!”

Me: “What?”

Customer #2: “She should have gotten a full refund!” *to her husband* “Isn’t it awful? She said the sprinkles were stale, and they laughed at her!”

Me: “Actually, ma’am, our sprinkles are crunchy, not soft, so sometimes people mistake them for being stale.”

Customer #2: “Still! This is awful customer service. She should have gotten a manager.”

Me: *pointing to the manager with whom [Customer #1] spoke* “She is a manager.”

Customer #2: “That’s an outrage! She shouldn’t be a manager.”

(The manager in question has been working our shop for ten years and is phenomenal.)

Customer #2: “I’m taking my business elsewhere! Now, can I get a small vanilla cone dipped in chocolate?”

(I made her the cone and she proceeded to yell at me about the first customer’s mishap for no less than five minutes. I almost burst into tears, and there was a line of over 15 people behind her!)