That Time When Time Wasn’t A Concept

(I work in a pet shop. The days I work, I’m usually alone. I’m one of the only ones who can clip birds’ nails and wings, so people usually call on the days I work. In the morning, I clean all of the bird cages, and around 4:30 pm, I clean the babies’ cages again before we close. Because of this schedule, we usually ask customers to come in sometime between 12:00 pm and 4:30 pm to have their birds clipped, and also to call first so we have a heads up.)

Customer: *on the phone* “Can I bring my bird in to be clipped today?”

Me: “What kind of bird is it?”

(I ask this because larger birds like macaws are hard for me to do alone.)

Customer: “A Quaker.” *a small bird*

Me: “Sure. If you could come in sometime after noon, but before 4:30, that’d be great.”

Customer: “Uh, noon? I need an appointment?”

Me: “I’m the only one here, and I’m cleaning the birds’ cages right now, and I won’t have everything done until probably noon. At 4:30, I start cleaning the babies’ cages again, so it would be best if you could come in before then.”

Customer: “Uh…” *seems really confused* “Come in after 4:30?”

Me: “No, before 4:30. I have to take care of the babies at 4:30, so it’s better if you come in before that.”

Customer: “So, come in before 12:00?”

Me: “No, after. If you could come in sometime between 12:00 and 4:30 that would be best.”

Customer: “So, 4:30…”

Me: “How about 2:00? Why don’t you come in at 2:00?”

Customer: “Yeah, 2:00 would be better for me.”

(I hate talking on the phone.)