Stubs To Be You

(I’m at a podium on a busy weekend afternoon tearing tickets. A customer comes back to the podium.)

Customer: “I’d like my ticket back.”

Me: “The ticket stub I gave you when you passed through is actually all you need.”

Customer: “No, I need the other half back. I want to get a refund.”

Me: “You actually don’t need the other half to do that. You can just go back up to box office with what you have and get a refund.”

Customer: “I don’t see why it’s so hard for you to just give it back to me. I was here just a minute ago. Give it to me now!”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to be able to find your ticket. Dozens of other people have passed through behind you.”

Customer: “Why won’t you just give me the other half of my ticket? It can’t be that hard. I want it back!”

(I don’t know what to say at this point, so I open the drawer full of hundreds of torn tickets and look back up at her.)

Customer: “Oh…”