Greeting Sheldon Cooper

(I am greeting customers by the front entrance when an elderly man enters with his middle-aged daughter.)

Me: “How’s it going today, sir?”

Customer: “Well, that entirely depends on what you mean by ‘it,’ doesn’t it?”

Me: “Um, well—”

Customer: “If by ‘it’ you mean to ask how I’m doing, well, my back is very bad today. I’ve had several surgeries on it and it is still remarkably painful.”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that—”

Customer: “On the other hand, perhaps ‘it’ is a vague reference to the general state of things in this country. If that is, in fact, the case, I should point out that the current economic climate—”

Customer’s Daughter: “What he means to say is that he’s fine. Thanks for asking!” *mouths to me when he’s not looking* “I’m sorry!”