Wednesday, May 16, 2012

In which I display mulishness

Like everyone Baz had his good and bad points. One of my bad points is my tendency to mulishness. 


Since Di has been working away I've spent a bit of time behind the counter at Zac's. Most of the time it's fine but every so often something - or more usually someone - gets my back up. One of those triggers was present last night. Our guest asked, in passing the counter, for a cup of coffee. 'Cup of coffee, two sugars.' To be brought to the table obviously - because of a bad leg.
Once served the guest started on the cake then called out to me, 'Get me a napkin.'
I looked on and under the counter. 'None here, sorry.'
'Get one from the kitchen.'
I carried on serving coffee.
'Give me a napkin, will you?'
'None here, sorry.'
'Get one from the kitchen.'
I ignored the shout for as long as possible thengrinding my teeth, went to look in the kitchen. 
'Sorry, none there.'
'Give me a carrier bag then.'
I looked under the counter. 'None here, sorry.'
'There'll be one in the kitchen; get me one.'
By this point, the sky would have to have fallen in before I was going to look for a carrier bag for this guest. I'm happy to serve but I'm nobody's slave. My back starts to prickle at the first demand even though I know our guest has huge mental health problems - and/or is possibly just plain rude.

2 comments:

Leslie: said...

Just give him a huge smile and say "What's the magic word?" Maybe he'll get the message. I'd hate that tone, too.

Furtheron said...

at times you have to bite your tongue and repeat in your head "This person is sick I must treat them nicely" But I know from bitter experience that is difficult and sometimes I hear things coming out of mouth before I can stop them...