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Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
Casually dressed man in green t-shirt, denim pants, and sunglasses pumps gas into an automobile. -
"Worked in a small-town convenience store in the Midwest many years ago. It was part of a chain based out of Ames, Iowa.
One night, as it was getting close to closing, a customer who had finished pumping gas came in to pay. He immediately started saying that he wasn't paying for the last gallon of gas because the pump hadn't shut off properly. I looked out and could see a small (maybe 4"-5" diameter) puddle of gas, maybe 4oz worth. I informed him of all the signs informing the users that they were responsible for what they pumped. He got asinine and asked me what I was going to do about it; he refused to pay the full amount."
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What a world we live in that someone demands the president's address from a gas station employee in a small town! Obviously, that is exactly what this customer was asking for.
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Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
Shell gas station with a blue sky in the background, -
"Without saying a word, I stepped out from behind the counter, walked around the pizza cook (the only other employee there - who watched this all happen), and headed for the pay phone next to the door. Mr. Asinine asked me what I thought I was doing, and I informed him that I was calling 911 for attempted theft. He told me to get back to the register, and he'd pay the full amount, which he did while calling me every name in the book. I didn't respond, which made him even madder. Once the transaction was complete, he pulled a little notebook and pen out of his pocket and gave me a really snide look as he told me, 'I want you to give me the president's address, NOW.'”
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Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
Man writing on a piece of paper. -
"Cue malicious compliance.
'Yes, sir,' I told him, 'It's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC. I don't know the zip code offhand, sorry.'
He is so mad that he doesn't realize what I've given him, he's just scribbling it down as fast as he can.
Once he finishes writing it down, he closes his little notepad, pockets it and his pen, and tells me that I'll be hearing from the home office once they receive his letter."
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"As he's walking out the door, I raise my voice and say, 'SIR!'
He stops, turns around, and growls back, ‘What?’
I answer as sweetly as I can, ‘Have a nice night.’
I could see the vein on his forehead pop up before he turned and stormed across the lot to his car."
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Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
Inside of a convenience store, dimly lit and fully stocked with snacks and other boxed goods. -
"The Pizza cook, who has watched the whole thing, tells me, 'Dude, you're cold.'
'Which part?' I ask him.
'Telling him to have a nice night - that was cold.'
I had to explain to the cook what the address was that I gave Mr. Asinine. He had completely missed it.
I've often wondered how far that guy made it before he realized what I had done. Still tickles me over 30 years later."
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You have to be more specific if you are going to be an overly demanding customer. Because nobody is going to try to work with you when you aren't even trying to work with them. How can any employee reason with the unreasonable? Exactly.
So, bravo, to this employee! It only makes sense that he gave this customer the address of the actual U.S. White House rather than the address of the company's president. Whatever that even means. You mean corporate, bestie? Like, grow up.
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