Somedays you can't help yourself . . .

You know exactly how you are supposed to behave, that you always have to be polite and friendly. With a few exceptions, I generally do a pretty good job sticking to that. But some days, I don't have enough sleep to be as nice as I should be. Like today.

Two people called out today, so that already put me in a certain kind of mood. Then a girl came to my register on a cell phone. I rang up her book, I don't even remember what it was, something from the business section, I think. It came to less than $30. She handed me a credit card, which I immediately turned over to check for a signature (our policy only requires us to ask for an I.D. if it's not signed). It was blank, but before I even finish asking to see a picture I.D. she says, "It's a business card." I look at the front and it says Jason something or other. I explain that we need the card holder present. She lets out an agitated breath and finds another card. I flip it over, see that it is also blank, and look at her. She says, "It's debit." We don't have that feature, so she fishes out her license and I run her card through. I give her receipt and then she asks, "Actually, can I just get this online?" I explain that it's probably something the website carries. So she tells me she doesn't want this because she doesn't want to have to pay for it. All this while she still talking on the phone! I'd be so irritated if I were the person on the other end of the line.

Now, she wasn't extraordinarily rude, I've dealt with worse and been fine. But for some reason, I was really ticked at her.

So I processed a return on the book, as slowly as humanly possible, and handed her the receipt. Then I turned around to put the book on the shelf to go back, and I heard her say thank you. But I had my back turned, and her voice wasn't loud, so I ignored her. And when I turned back around she had stopped and turned, and once I saw her she repeated loudly, "THANK YOU."

And while the words that came out of my mouth were, "Have a nice day," what I meant was, "Fuck you." And that's what she heard too, judging by the look on her face. She knew exactly what I meant. But she wouldn't be able to complain because I hadn't said anything wrong, and I'd said it with a smile on my face. And something about that feels really satisfying. That may be a little pathetic, but hey, it's the little joys, right?