The Employee’s Inner Voice Is A Friend

I notice a customer pulling out her checkbook and I interject.

Me: “I can’t take a check.”

Customer: “What do you mean, I can’t pay by check?”

Customer’s Friend: “Nobody takes checks anymore.”

Customer: “Why didn’t I know about this?”

Customer’s Friend: “Maybe if you got out more than once a year, you’d know these things.”

Customer: “Well, I don’t like paying cash!”

Customer’s Friend: “Use a card.”

Customer: “I don’t want to have a credit card!”

Customer’s Friend: “Your bank will give you a debit card for free.”

I was trying desperately to control my urge to cheer, and to thank the customer’s friend for saying EXACTLY what I wanted to say but couldn’t.