So Angry He’s Smoking

(I’m not entirely sure if this belongs in Not Always Working or Not Always Right, but either way I think both parties are in the wrong. Once, when I am younger, we go to a motel because our house is being renovated and is basically covered in dust. My dad is the one with me.)

Dad: *to the guy at the desk and the manager* “Hello, we would like a room at the motel, please. And can it be a no smoking room, please? We are allergic to cigarette smoke.”

(We’re not ALLERGIC to it per se, but I will put it this way: we all get very dizzy and a little nauseated when we’re in a room that smells strongly of cigarette smoke.)

Manager: *a little dismissively* “Of course, sir.”

(We get our room, go there, and what do you know? We walk in and two things instantly alert us to this being, in fact, a smoking room. One, the room reeks of smoke. Two, the room has a LITERAL ASHTRAY next to the door. Dad takes me back to the desk where the manager is talking to the employee. We stand at the desk, very obviously waiting for them to address us. They either don’t notice — highly unlikely — or just ignore us. There is a plastic sign on the desk saying, “Have a Nice Day!” Without warning, my dad picks that up and throws it at the employee, who catches it and looks startled.)

Manager: *suddenly shouting* “DID YOU THROW THAT AT MY EMPLOYEE?!”

Dad: *also shouting* “DON’T IGNORE ME—”

(Several minutes of them shouting at one another later, and a cookie from a woman who saw me watching the two in confusion and felt sorry for me, we just left the motel. I don’t think my dad reacted the right way, but I also don’t think the manager should’ve ignored us.)