A Discount Is On The Cards
(My friend has spent over a year battling cancer, and due to the effects of almost a year in bed and a severe reaction to chemotherapy, she has to learn to walk again. On one of her trips home, we decide to go see a movie. She’s in a wheelchair, and I’m pushing.)
Friend: “Hello! We’d like two tickets to [Movie], please.”
Cashier: “Of course! With the discount, that’ll be [price].”
Me: “We get a discount? Awesome!” *I grin at my friend*
Cashier: *to me* “Yes, but I need your card first.”
Me: “Card? What card?”
Friend: “We don’t have whatever card you’re talking about.”
Cashier: “But you should bring your card for trips like this. It gets the companion a discount on their ticket.”
(Suddenly, I understand what’s going on. She’s referring to a carer’s card.)
Me: “Ah… I’m afraid you’re mistaken. I’m just here as a friend. We don’t have a card.”
(I quickly explain what the cashier is talking about to my friend.)
Cashier: “You can’t get the discount without the card.”
Friend: “I don’t have one. Can we just buy the tickets, please?”
Cashier: “Unless you can show me the card, I can’t give you the discount.”
Me: “No, I’m not here to accompany her. I’m really her friend. We’re going together.”
Friend: “Exactly what she says! I don’t have a card because I’m not disabled!”
Cashier: “You really do need to show me the card for this.”
(At this point, my friend is getting genuinely upset, and I’m not happy, either.)
Me: “Listen to me. I am her friend. She’s been ill, but this is not permanent. She’s getting out of the chair again, and she does not have a card.”
(You can see the cashier suddenly understand.)
Cashier: “I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you!”
Friend: “It’s okay. I’d just like our tickets.”
Cashier: “Of course! I’ll get you a different discount as an apology. Feel free to sit anywhere in the theatre. There’s hardly any people.”
Me: “Thank you. That’s very kind.”
(We get our tickets, and because there’s still 30 minutes until the movie starts, we decide to head to a store down the street for snacks. Once we’re outside…)
Friend: “Hey, did you see what kind of discount we got?” *shows me her ticket* “Look, apparently we’re retired!”
(We had a good laugh about it, and enjoyed the movie as two ‘retirees’ in our early 20s!)
This story is included in our Wheelchairs Versus Ableism roundup!
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
