Unfortunately, yes. Like the guy who threatened to sue the library because I offered to borrow a book for him from another library when I found we didn't own a copy.
And, in my opinion, a better argument for not carrying concealed weapons than any other. Even I would have been tempted to get rid of some people just for the sake of society in general.
I may be missing something in the comics, but in what way are they addressing political correctness? They seem to be addressing the phenomenon of thin skinned customers expecting something beyond subservience from everyone they encounter in a customer service role.
Actually I sometimes wish we had a minimum level of functionality underneath which people had to live on reservations for their own good (and everyone else's.)
I'm afraid I don't have quite that much latitude. I have to be thick skinned and let them rant, but at least I do not have to bend and break rules for them or give in to unreasonable demands. That's why we try to have clear written policies, so we can just point to them and say "No can do."
Fortunately I'm useful enough in other capacities that I've been largely retired from public desk duty. But once in a while I have to fill in, and today was one of those days. It really takes a lot out of me. I feel ready for bed and it's only 7:30 pm.
Oh gosh, that was two or three years ago now. Probably in my journal but I dunno where.
Essentially he came to the desk and asked if we had the books on a handwritten list. I checked for him (like he couldn't use a terminal to check for himself, but that's normal around here) and told him what we had and what we didn't. Then I pointed out that another library in our system did have some of the ones we lacked, and I could get them for him in two days.
"No, I don't want you to do that," he says.
"It only takes a few seconds," I told him.
That's when he flew off the handle and asked for my boss's name and the mayor's phone number. Said he'd never been so insulted in his life and he was going to sue us for treating him like that and it was the worst customer service he'd ever seen. Obviously a nut case. My boss agreed.
Then there was the one who called on his cell phone from the parking lot on a Thursday morning. We are closed on Thursday mornings. That's when we do things like computer maintenance and cleaning the place and catching up on all the stuff that needs reshelving. We open in the afternoon on Thursday. Actually, when I started here, we were closed all day Thursday and that had been the rule for 20 years, so even being open Thursday afternoon is an increase in availability.
Anyway, this guy accused me of being closed just to make trouble for him, and insisted that we used to be open on Thursdays and now we were closed just to spite him. There was no reasoning with him. He wanted me to unlock the doors so he could come in and make a photocopy. I refused, pointing out that none of the machines were even warmed up, they take 15 minutes to be ready to use, and in that time he could go four blocks to the post office or the drug store, make his copy, and be done. (Those places charge a nickel more per copy than we do, though.) He demanded to speak to my boss because I was just being rude to thwart him. She was standing right there, I handed her the phone, and he hung up on her.
Later I found out that he's a regular troublemaker who pulls that sort of thing all the time trying to get extra favors and services by intimidating people.
Oh. I see. I missed that mention in your journal a couple of days ago. Thanks for offering, but I imagine you can find someone to take them without having to ship them across the country. You could consider me as a foster home of last resort, though, if something deserves a better fate than to be thrown away and those are the only choices. ;D
Actually my favorite Lawrence is The Virgin and the Gypsy which was made into a film a long time ago starring Franco Nero as the Gypsy. The film is sexy. The book is much richer and more complex. Unfortunately, neither is easy to find.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2008-02-15 09:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-15 09:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 11:27 am (UTC)Some people need a damn good kicking.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 12:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-15 10:20 pm (UTC)Correctness I've ever laughed at.
^_^
no subject
Date: 2008-02-15 10:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-15 11:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-15 10:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-15 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-18 10:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 01:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 01:38 am (UTC)Fortunately I'm useful enough in other capacities that I've been largely retired from public desk duty. But once in a while I have to fill in, and today was one of those days. It really takes a lot out of me. I feel ready for bed and it's only 7:30 pm.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 01:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 01:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 02:03 am (UTC)Essentially he came to the desk and asked if we had the books on a handwritten list. I checked for him (like he couldn't use a terminal to check for himself, but that's normal around here) and told him what we had and what we didn't. Then I pointed out that another library in our system did have some of the ones we lacked, and I could get them for him in two days.
"No, I don't want you to do that," he says.
"It only takes a few seconds," I told him.
That's when he flew off the handle and asked for my boss's name and the mayor's phone number. Said he'd never been so insulted in his life and he was going to sue us for treating him like that and it was the worst customer service he'd ever seen. Obviously a nut case. My boss agreed.
Then there was the one who called on his cell phone from the parking lot on a Thursday morning. We are closed on Thursday mornings. That's when we do things like computer maintenance and cleaning the place and catching up on all the stuff that needs reshelving. We open in the afternoon on Thursday. Actually, when I started here, we were closed all day Thursday and that had been the rule for 20 years, so even being open Thursday afternoon is an increase in availability.
Anyway, this guy accused me of being closed just to make trouble for him, and insisted that we used to be open on Thursdays and now we were closed just to spite him. There was no reasoning with him. He wanted me to unlock the doors so he could come in and make a photocopy. I refused, pointing out that none of the machines were even warmed up, they take 15 minutes to be ready to use, and in that time he could go four blocks to the post office or the drug store, make his copy, and be done. (Those places charge a nickel more per copy than we do, though.) He demanded to speak to my boss because I was just being rude to thwart him. She was standing right there, I handed her the phone, and he hung up on her.
Later I found out that he's a regular troublemaker who pulls that sort of thing all the time trying to get extra favors and services by intimidating people.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 01:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 02:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 01:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-16 02:02 pm (UTC)