Cause For Pregnant Pause, Part 21

Customer: “I need you to fix my glasses.”

Me: “I would be happy to do that. Unfortunately, because of the fire earlier this week, the power to this department keeps going out and I can’t use the frame warmer to fix them without power. Would you like to leave them here? I’ll get them fixed and you can pick them up later.”

(We are open despite the fact that the power to the back room keeps cutting out, the fans drying the carpet and walls from the water used to put out the fire make it difficult to hear, and we have to keep moving the furniture to make sure the walls and carpet dry properly so they won’t mold.)

Customer: “I’ll come back Saturday; will you be here? I want you to fix them.”

(Today is Tuesday.)

Me: “I’m not on the schedule for Saturday. [Other Coworker] will be here then, but if you specifically want me to fix them, I suggest you leave them here and come back to pick them up.”

Customer: “Why?”

Me: “I’m pregnant.”

Customer: “So?!”

Me: *standing up and gesturing to my huge stomach which was only slightly smaller when she’d bought the glasses a few weeks before* “I’m due this Saturday. If I go into labor, I won’t be coming into work. I’ll be in the hospital.”

Customer: “But you’ll be back on Monday?”

Me: “No, if I have the baby, I’ll be on maternity leave for three months.”

Customer: “Why?”

Me: *thinking* “Seriously, why do you think?”

(I finally convinced her to leave them, which was good because I went into labor that Friday night and was in the hospital giving birth and recovering on Saturday.)

Related:
Cause For Pregnant Pause, Part 20
Cause For Pregnant Pause, Part 19
Cause For Pregnant Pause, Part 18