Don’t Pin This On Me

(Some friends are in from out of town, so I call a local bowling alley to make a reservation for the following night.)

Me: “Hey, I need to reserve a lane for tomorrow night for five people. Any time after 7pm is good.”

Employee #1: “There’s no need to reserve a lane. We’re wide open tomorrow night.”

Me: “You’re sure? I’ve got people in from out of town. Can I go ahead and make a reservation just in case?”

Employee #1: “There’s really no need. You’ll be able to walk right in and get a lane.”

Me: “Okay, we’ll be in tomorrow then…”

(The next night we meet up with our friends and walk into the bowling alley only to see that it is packed. We walk up to the counter to see about getting a lane.)

Me: “We need a lane for five, please.”

Employee #2: “This is Blind League night. We won’t have any lanes until 11.”

Me: “I was told last night that I didn’t need a reservation tonight; you’d be wide open.”

Employee #2: “Well, we have League night every week on the same night, and we won’t have any lanes open until at least 11. That’s the best I can do for you.”

Me: “Who was working the counter last night, then? I’d like to know who lied to me and why they wouldn’t bother to tell me that the lanes would be full.”

Employee #2: “Well, the only one back here last night was [Employee #1].”

(He gestures down at the end of the counter to an employee who is putting away shoes. When I confront him, he says…)

Employee #1: “Aw, h*** no, you ain’t putting this s*** on me.”

Me: “Oh, so you didn’t work last night?”

Employee #1: “No, I worked last night, but it’s not my fault you didn’t know it was League night. Everyone knows it’s League night.”

Me: “So, since I didn’t know, you outright lied when I asked, instead of just telling me to come in another night? What did you think was going to happen when I showed up?”

Employee #1: *shrugs shoulders and goes into the back*

Employee #2: *looks at us blankly* “You want to reserve a lane for 11?”

(We left, and haven’t been back!)