Happy New Rear-Ended

(It’s New Year’s Eve, a few minutes before the repair shop closes early for the day. I’m a customer. I walk in and end up behind an older woman. She’s paying for her repairs. The cashier finishes with her and asks if she can help me.)

Me: “Yes, I need to have some brake work done. I was hoping—”

Older Woman: “HEY! It’s New Year’s Eve and they are closing in a few minutes. You can’t just walk in and get your brakes fixed.”

Me: “I know. I’m just trying to make an appointment.”

Older Woman: “But you can’t have an appointment; they are closing soon.”

Cashier: “It’s fine; I know she’s scheduling for next week.”

Older Woman: “No, it’s not fine! You don’t treat people like this!”

(This goes on for almost ten minutes, with the older woman interrupting every time the cashier tries to explain. Finally, the cashier manages to get her father, the shop owner, to come out.)

Older Woman: “Finally! Now he can explain how rude you are!”

Father: “When did you want to bring in your car?”

Me: “Next Friday?”

Father: “That’s fine. Not sure why it was such a big deal.”

(By now the older woman has finally left. It’s past closing time.)

Cashier: “It was only a big deal because that woman couldn’t understand that making an appointment takes seconds if she shuts up and lets me do it.”

Me: “Yeah, sorry. She seemed a bit off.”

(We all hear a crash from outside and rush out to check. The woman has backed into the building.)

Father: “It seems like maybe understanding how long it takes to schedule an appointment is the least of her worries.”

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