(The caller ID says UNKNOWN CALLER.)
Me: “Thank you for calling [Gas Station].”
Caller: “Hey, I was at your gas station earlier today and I bought an e-cigarette from you guys. I just wanted to let you know that when I lit my e-cigarette like I always do, it blew up.”
Me: “Pardon, sir?”
Caller: “Yeah, it exploded. I don’t know whether it was just my e-cigarette that was defective, or if it was all of them or what.”
Me: “I’m… sorry to hear that, sir. I’ll let my manager know, and we’ll see what we can do.”
Caller: “Yeah, that’d be great. Can I talk to your manager?”
Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but she’s not here. She’s probably at home sleeping.”
Caller: “Oh. Okay… So, how are you doing tonight?”
Me: “Uh… I’m doing all right, sir. How are you doing?”
Caller: “Well, other than the e-cigarette blowing up in my face, I’m not doing too bad.”
Me: “That’s good to hear, sir.”
Caller: “Yeah. So how are you doing?”
Me: “I’m… doing fine, sir. Thank you.”
Caller: “Oh, yeah? That’s good. That’s good. Hey, what’s your name?”
Me: “[My Name], sir.”
Caller: “Okay, [My Name]. How are you doing tonight?”
Me: “I’m sorry, sir… I don’t understand.”
Caller: “How are you doing this evening?”
Me: “I’m doing just fine, sir. How about you?”
Caller: “Other than my e-cigarette blowing up, I’m doing all right. So how’s working at a gas station, [Not My Name]?”
Me: “It’s all right, sir.”
Caller: “Is it any fun?”
Me: “Not anymore than any other job, really, sir.”
Caller: “Oh, yeah? That’s cool. Do you get a lot of bathroom and smoke breaks there?”
Me: “Well, I, uh, I step away from the register when I need to go to the bathroom, and I don’t smoke, sir.”
Caller: “Oh, yeah? That’s good. That’s good. You shouldn’t smoke, [Not My Name]. It’s bad for you.”
Me: “I know, sir, that’s why I don’t.”
Caller: “Good. So… what else do you sell there besides gas?”
Me: “Well, mostly we sell cigarettes and junk food, sir.”
Caller: “How about soda?”
Me: “Yes, we do also sell soda, sir.”
Caller: “Do you get a lot of teenagers buying cigarettes, [Not My Name]?”
Me: “I do get a few, sir, but I always remember to card them.”
Caller: “That’s good, that’s good. Did you know, I was reading something on the Internet this morning, said that this generation of teenagers has the fewest smokers of any generation? Only like 9%.”
Me: “I believe it, sir.”
Caller: “But you still get a lot of teenagers buying cigarettes?”
Me: “Only if they’re of age, sir. I’d imagine that most of the other teens who don’t smoke don’t have a reason to visit our station as often.”
Caller: “Good point. So, what’s your favorite pop, [Not My Name]?”
Me: “I’d say [Soda], sir.”
Caller: “[Soda]? That’s a good pop.”
Me: “Yes, sir.”
Caller: “So do you, like, have cups you can fill with pop there?”
Me: “Yes, sir, you can fill a cup with soda at our gas station.”
Caller: “What kind of soda do you get from the fountain pop?”
Me: “[Soda], sir.”
Caller: “Oh, yeah, ’cause that’s your favorite, right, [Not My Name]?”
Me: “Yes, sir.”
Caller: “So… you ever drank gasoline? ‘Cause y’know, you work at a gas station?”
Me: “Um… no sir.”
Caller: “You never drank gasoline? I always wanted to try it.”
Me: “No, sir, I think that would make me very sick.”
Caller: “Yeah, you’re probably right. So, how does the register work?”
Me: “Well, it’s a touch screen, sir. You just press the right buttons and the software handles the numbers.”
Caller: “Oh… do you sell a lot of [Candy #1]?”
Me: “No sir, I don’t sell [Candy #1] very often.”
Caller: “Do you sell a lot of [Candy #2]?”
Me: “No, sir, I don’t sell a lot of [Candy #2], either.”
Caller: “Yeah, man, [Candy #2] are my favorite, [unintelligible].”
Me: “I see.”
Caller: “Hey, [Not My Name], what did you say your name was again?”
Me: “[My Name], sir.”
Caller: “[My Name]… like [My Name] the Bomb?”
Me: *having no idea who that is* “Yes, sir, like [My Name] the Bomb.”
Caller: “Cool. Hey, you’re a cool guy, so I’m gonna call you [My Name] the Bomb. Is that all right?”
Me: “That’s fine, sir.”
Caller: “Cool. Hey, I got stuff I gotta do, so I’m gonna go now, [My Name] the Bomb. I’ll call again later, all right?”
Me: *dear god, please, no* “Sure, sir.”
Caller: “All right. Later, [My Name] the Bomb.”
Me: “Have a good night, sir.”
(Two minutes later, the phone rings, caller ID says UNKNOWN CALLER.)
Me: “NOPE.”
(I think he tried to light his e-cigarette with a lighter, like a real cigarette, and that’s why it exploded. Also, the third shift person went through that day’s transactions. We didn’t sell any e-cigarettes that day.)
