The Appliance Defiance

I work in a home improvement store, in the appliance section. The phone rings.

Me: “[Store] Appliances, this is [My Name]. How can I help?”

Caller: “I’m looking for a [Brand] gas range.”

Me: “Okay, what finish would you prefer?”

Caller: “Well, see, I was in your store and I saw a red one in front. I want that one.”

I remember that one, FROM ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO. It was on CLEARANCE.

Me: “Sir, that particular range was on clearance a long time ago. I don’t have it anymore.”

Caller: “Well, can’t you get on your little computer and see who has it?”

Me: *Feeling a headache coming on* “Sir, if you have a model number, I would be glad to look it up and find it, but just a heads-up, if it was on clearance, the probability of anyone having it are very slim.”

He hung up. I found our old poster with the model number of that range and put it in the computer, and sure enough: discontinued. I DID find a red range, but it was close to $10,000!