Needs A Visit From The Ghosts Of Christmas

(Our theater has done a production of a Christmas Carol every year for many years. This happens the first year that I work the final performance of the run, mid-day Christmas Eve.)

Woman: *dragging three kids behind her* “Hi, we need uh… four tickets for the show today.”

Me: “I’m sorry, we’re sold out for this afternoon’s performance, but I ca—”

Woman: “Sold out!? You’re kidding me? Do you have any seats at all?”

Me: “No, like I said, we are sold out. However, I can pu—”

Woman: “So you don’t have four seats?”

Me: *trying to get the whole sentence out before she interrupts me again* “No, but I can put you on a wait list.”

Woman: “Okay. We need four together.”

Me: “I’m sorry. If we can get you in at all, I can’t promise they will be four seats together.”

(She huffs and rolls her eyes a bit, then gets on the list. Ten or fifteen minutes later another woman walks in with a little girl.)

Woman #2: “Hi, I know it’s Christmas Eve and it’s a Christmas show and everything, but is there any possibility of getting two tickets today?”

Me: “Unfortunately, we are sold out, but I can put you on a wait list.”

Woman #2: “Really? Oh, that would be good. We’ll take our chances. So you’re completely sold out? That’s nice for you guys.”

Me: “Thank you. Now I do have to tell you that if we can get you in, I can’t necessarily get you together.”

(She and her daughter exchange a few looks, and the little girl shrugs, then nods.)

Woman #2: “That’s fine. Thank you! We’ll be waiting!”

Me: “Good luck!”

(We get through all the tickets we have waiting to be picked up, and then seat a few people off the waitlist from seats handed back. At the last minute we get permission to sell house seats, late seats and handicapped seats, using EVERYTHING we have, packing the theater to full capacity. I seat the family of four together, they’re cranky and loud and aggravating. They complain about the seats they have, then wander upstairs slowly, even though I’ve told them they should hurry as the show is about to begin. The nice woman and her daughter are the last on the list, and at the last moment I get them a pair together.)

Me: “Ma’am? I have a pair of seats for you.”

Woman #2: *rushing to the ticket window* “Really?” *to her daughter* “We get to see the show!”

(Her daughter smiles and bounces on her toes, mom keeps talking quietly as I process their tickets.)

Woman #2: “Isn’t this great? Aren’t we lucky? You know, when I was little I used to come to this show with MY mommy. Every year we’d come here. So I think you and I should go and enjoy the show, and think of Grandma, yeah?”

Little Girl: “Yeah.”

Woman #2: “Good.”

Me: *trying not to show I’m almost in tears* “Here you are; enjoy the show!”

Woman #2: “Thank you! Merry Christmas!”

Little Girl: “Merry Christmas!”

Me: “Merry Christmas!”

(I think of them every year during Christmas Carol!)