Adventures In Displeased Italian Noises

(I work for a pest control company. Going through the mail, I find a customer — a local restaurant — has sent us a second check for an invoice they’ve already paid, so I call them.)

Me: “Hello, this is [My Name] with [Pest Control Company]. Is there someone available I can speak to about your billing?”

Lady: “Hold on. He’s very busy at the moment. Let me check.” *puts the phone down and talks to a man in the background* “Do we have [Pest Control Company]? They’re calling about billing.”

Man: *in the background, making emphatic and affirmative Italian noises*

Lady: *picking the phone back up* “He’s very busy. Can you call back?”

Me: “Can you let him know he actually overpaid us? I can mail the check back or void it and shred it?”

Lady: “One sec.” *putting the phone down again* “You paid too much. Do you want them to send the check back or shred it?”

Man: *displeased Italian noises*

Lady: “Do you want them to use it as a credit?”

Man: *loudly, enthusiastically, and in the thickest accent I’ve ever heard* “Credit! Credit!”

Lady: *to me* “Yes, can you apply that as a credit?”

Me: “Absolutely. Let him know you won’t owe anything next month.”

(We said our goodbyes and I spent the next few minutes giggling. I’ll have to eat at that restaurant sometime. It seems like a fun place!)