Unfashionably Late

(My store offers fashion shows. It’s the day before an event, and I’m making last minute arrangements when I get paged that someone is there to talk about the show.)

Customer: “I’d like to schedule a fashion show with you guys to support my women’s club.”

Me: “Of course! Let me explain to you quickly what we’ll do for you.”

(I give her a quick rundown of the fashion show program, and what we offer, but she’s tapping her foot and looking at her watch.)

Customer: “I’m REALLY in a rush here; can we hurry it up?”

Me: “Sure! Tell you what, all the information you need is in this packet, and there’s the contracts I will need you to sign. Why don’t you return those to me when you’re able, and we’ll work out a date that isn’t taken?”

Customer: “A date that isn’t taken? I need it NOW!”

Me: “Now?”

Customer: “The event starts in an hour; I just need you to bring the stuff.”

Me: “Ma’am… I schedule fashion shows six months out.”

Customer: “What? You mean that you won’t do it?”

Me: “On this short notice? No.”

Customer: “But I’ve been advertising this for months! We’ve sold over 100 tickets! We have themed the whole event around it!”

Me: “Wait, so you printed invitations and got decorations, but didn’t talk to me until now?”

Customer: “Oh, just grab your models! I don’t have time for this.”

Me: “I don’t just keep the models in the back room!”