Feels He Has License To Scream

(I’m an attendant at a movie theatre, and we offer a service for people who are partially or fully deaf. They can utilise a piece of equipment that either enhances the volume through personal headphones, or displays captions on a personal monitor. However, the equipment is quite expensive, and thus we retain the customer’s license when we hand it out.)

Elderly Lady: *with husband* “Hello, we would like two senior tickets to [Movie], and may I have the audio enhancement?”

Me: “Of course. That will be [total], and do you have your driver’s license on you? I just need it to be able to hand over the equipment to you.”

Husband: *beginning to fume* “Her license?!”

Me: *a bit confused at his outrage, but happy to further explain* “Yes, the equipment is quite expensive, so we just need to retain the license while it’s in use; you will get it back as soon as the feature concludes.”

Husband: “That’s discrimination! Do you ask for other’s people licenses?!”

Me: “Yes, we require everyone to hand over their license.”

Husband: “So, because people have hearing difficulty, you need their license? That’s discrimination.”

Me: “People who have difficulty hearing are generally the people using the equipment, but the protocol would be the same for anyone who wished to use the equipment, also.”

(The wife, who remained placid throughout the exchange, now talked quietly to husband, who stepped aside again, still angry. She slid her license across the counter. I retrieved the equipment and completed the transaction, still a little unsure why he became so angry. She came out afterwards, praising both the movie and the equipment. He glared at me from across the foyer.)