Their Conversational Ability Is On Rails

(I’m on a long train ride, and rail catering comes by. I’m really thirsty, so I ask the guy what drinks he has for sale. The guy mumbles some drink names, half of which I don’t catch.)

Me: “I’ll take a [Soda], please. Can I pay with a card?”

(He literally throws the soda can onto the seat beside me, then pulls out his PIN machine and reaches it out to me. I put my card against the scanner, and at that moment he shoves the whole machine into my hands. This causes my card to slip, and the machine doesn’t register the payment. Now, I have his machine in my hands, giving an error, which doesn’t go away even after hitting “cancel.”)

Me: “It didn’t go through. I’m not sure what to do,”

(I try to hand him back the machine. He just stares at me with a bored look on his face, making no attempt to take the machine back.)

Rail Catering Guy: *sniffs* “Got any cash?”

Me: “If I had, I would have given it to you already.”

(I’m still trying to give him back the machine, to no avail. After a while, he finally snatches it out of my hands, pushes some buttons, and gives it back to me. I try to swipe again, and it gives another error. Again, he leaves me with the machine in hand, just looking at me with a bored face. After another minute, the machine gives a beep and finally resets.)

Me: “Okay, I’ll try to insert my card this time and enter my PIN.”

(The guy says nothing. I insert my card and enter my code. Lo and behold, another error comes up. I look at the rail catering guy.)

Rail Catering Guy: *mumbling* “Yeah… I don’t know what you want me to do.”

Me: “You and me, both. How about this? Take the can of soda and forget it.”

Rail Catering Guy: “You sure?”

Me: *shoves can of soda into his hands* “Yup. I’m not letting both of us go through that again.”

(He sheepishly tried to give me back the soda, still mumbling something about me needing to pay, nonetheless. Then, he sighed deeply, turned around, and shuffled away without saying another word.)