Smile, And The World Scowls With You, Part 2

I’m working at the box office, which is my favorite assignment. My company mandates that we have to smile at a guest if they are within ten feet of us, but I don’t have to force it as a rule. I sincerely enjoy my job, for the most part, and I’m a naturally smiley person.  

It’s a slow day, and a man comes in and walks up to me briskly. I sit up straighter and offer him a smile, and then I greet him as he reaches me.

Me: “Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you today?”

Customer: *Furious* “Why are you smiling?”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Customer: “Why are you smiling? You’re at work.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir. I like my job, and I’m having a good day.”

Customer: “You shouldn’t be smiling. You’re at work. You shouldn’t be happy.”

Me: “I’m sorry if I offended you. I’m literally required to smile at customers, and I can tell my boss it bothers some people, if you like. But even if I wasn’t required, I couldn’t help smiling right now. I really like my job.”

Customer: “What are you on?”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Customer: “What the h*** are you on? You shouldn’t be happy at work. What did you take to make you smile?”

Me: “I… didn’t take anything, sir. I was just having a good day.”

Customer: “Give me some. Give me some of what you’re on.”

Me: “I can promise you, sir, I did not take anything.”

Customer: “You shouldn’t be smiling. You’re at work. You shouldn’t be happy.”

I sold him his tickets, and he kept scowling the entire time. I’m pretty sure I didn’t smile for the rest of the interaction, and I absolutely did not feel like smiling for the rest of my shift. So… mission accomplished, I guess.

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Smile, And The World Scowls With You