MAN (mid 40's, early 50's, mild mannered, friendly face, jovial disposition)
LIBRARIAN ( late 50's early 60's, bespectacled, mostly gray-haired, wears trousers)
The place: a generic medium-sized public library. Could be in Florida.
The time: now.
MAN: Hi. Could you tell what I have and overdue? I have my card.
LIBRARIAN: Let's see. You have one overdue item, "Cartoon Network Haunted Halloween."
MAN: What are the late fees on that?
LIBRARIAN: Twenty-five cents per day late. It was due four days ago.
MAN: OK, no problem, I'll get it back tomorrow or the next day.
LIBRARIAN: You don't have it with you?
MAN: No, I was just stopping by to look at some other stuff and I thought I'd check in, see what's outstanding.
LIBRARIAN: Have a nice day.
Two days later...
MAN: Hi, I'd like to settle my overdue account. I dropped off the video last night in the after-hours slot.
LIBRARIAN: Your card please? (MAN hands her the card.) That will be six dollars.
MAN: What?
LIBRARIAN: Six dollars; it was six days overdue.
MAN: But you told me two days ago it was twenty-five cents a day! That's a dollar-fifty.
LIBRARIAN: It's twenty-five cents for videotapes. This was a DVD. DVD's are a dollar a day.
MAN: You saw it was a DVD when you looked up my account two days ago. You remember me, right? You remember telling me it was twenty-five cents, right? Why didn't you tell me it was a dollar a day two days ago?
LIBRARIAN: Sir, it's six dollars for the late fees on this DVD.
MAN: (paying the six dollars) It's not the money; I have six dollars. It would just be nice if you would admit you made a mistake. I know you remember me from the other day. You know you told me it was twenty-five cents.
LIBRARIAN: (throwing her hands up) Sir, I don't want to argue about this.
MAN: I don't want an argument. I only want you to be honest. Why can't you just be honest? Why can't you just admit you made a mistake? I paid you the money already.
LIBRARIAN: Can I help the next person please?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
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