(While in high school, I work a couple days a week at a daycare after school. I am with the first- and second-graders, waiting for the older kids to join us.)
Second-Grader #1: “Are you a mom yet?”
Me: “Oh, no, I am still in school. I got to [High School that these kids have visited on a field trip].”
Second-Grader #2: “Isn’t that, like, really far away?”
Me: “Not really; it’s only about twenty minutes away from here.”
Second-Grader #1: “Wow… That’s like an hour!”
(At my office, we have a ten-minute late policy that we can be lenient on, but we usually aren’t if we are very booked. Today is one of those days.)
Customer: *calls in* “Hi. I am running a little behind; my mother’s car broke down.”
Me: “Okay, thanks for letting me know, but just so you know, we do have a ten-minute late policy; if you are more than ten minutes late we are going to have to reschedule your appointment.”
Customer: “But it’s not my fault; I’m not going to leave my mother out here alone.”
Me: “I understand, but we still keep the policy because we have other patients to see, as well.”
Customer: “Well, I’m not going to leave her alone out here.”
Me: “I understand, but like I said, if you are more than ten minutes late we will have to reschedule.”
Customer: “I don’t think you do understand; can’t you be a little lenient?”
Me: “Unfortunately, no. We have a heavy schedule today and we can’t budge on our policy.”
Customer: “Fine.” *hangs up*
(She shows up with only a few minutes to spare; luckily I am not the one who checks her in, but I overhear what she says.)
Customer: “The person we talked to on the phone was very rude.”
Coworker: “I don’t remember anyone being rude.”
Customer: “Well, they were, and I had to break all the laws to get here on time.”
(Next time just cancel your appointment; no one is forcing you to be here.)
(I work at a loan office that requires appointments. It is 1:15 pm, and a client is due in at 1:30. I get a phone call.)
Customer: “Hi, I’ve got an appointment at 1:30. What happens if I am late?”
Me: “We allow ten minutes leeway, but if you are any later than 1:40, we will have to rebook your appointment.” *thinking she is stuck in traffic* “How long do you think you are going to be?”
Customer: “Oh, I’m in town already, but I’m sitting in [Fast Food Place] and wanted to let my food settle before I come in.”
Me: *long pause* “Okay. See you at 1:30.”
(I work in an IT department that hires “co-op students,” or students studying IT at a local university. These folks are hired for four-month periods, and because they are new and young, they are subjected to some harmless hazing.)
Coworker: “Hey, [Co-Op Student], did you know that it’s your job to get us all coffee each morning?”
Co-Op Student: “Really?”
Me: “Oh, yeah. All the co-ops we’ve had do that for us.”
Co-Op Student: “Huh. Do you give me the money for the coffee, or…?”
Coworker: “Of course not! You have to pay for everything.”
Co-Op Student: *starting to look worried*
Me: “I can’t stand it; we’re just teasing, dude. You don’t really have to get us coffee.”
Co-Op Student: *relieved* “You guys are terrible!”
(A few weeks later, daylight saving is upon us.)
Coworker: “Hey, [Co-Op Student], don’t forget that daylight saving happens this weekend.”
Co-Op Student: “Huh?”
Coworker: “You know; ‘Spring forward, fall back’?”
Co-Op Student: *blank stare*
Coworker: “It’s the ‘spring forward’ thing this time, so that means that you need to move your clocks forward one hour.”
Co-Op Student: “Haha! You almost got me! Nice try, [Coworker].”
Me: “Uh, he’s not joking this time.”
Co-Op Student: “Yeah, right. ‘Move clocks forward one hour.’ As if!”
(It turned out that the student was from a province that didn’t use daylight saving. Guess who was late for work on Monday?)
This story is part of our Daylight Saving Time roundup!
Read the next story in this roundup!
Read the Daylight Saving Time roundup!
(I have finished troubleshooting a customer’s mobile device and determined she needs to do a master reset. I am setting a callback to check up after it’s completed.)
Me: “And what time would you like me to call you back?”
Customer: “2:30.”
Me: “Okay, and what time zone are you in?”
Customer: “2:30.”
Me: “Yep, 2:30. Which time zone do you live in?”
Customer: “2:30… pm.”
Me: “Right. 2:30. I just need to know which timezone you’re in, because I’m in the Central time zone, and my 2:30 could be different than your 2:30.”
Customer: “2:30 pm… in the afternoon.”
Me: *long pause* “Okay, what state do you live in?”
Customer: “The United States.”
Me: “Excellent, and which one?”
Customer: “Atlanta.”
Me: “Okay, awesome. You’re in the Eastern time zone.”
Related:
No Fortitude For Longitude, Part 13
No Fortitude For Longitude, Part 12
No Fortitude For Longitude, Part 11
No Fortitude For Longitude, Part 10
No Fortitude For Longitude, Part 9
