El ranto.

Nothing pisses me off more than rudeness. It never ceases to amaze me just how rude some people can be! It’s probably one of the most unnecessary qualities someone can possess. It’s not going to achieve anything, except for people thinking you’re a bitch. So hey, if that’s what your aiming for, good luck with your life.

I see it everywhere. Arrogant and demanding customers at work, impatient and self-absorbed business people waiting for a train, assholes in peak hour traffic, and eighteen year old gangas thinking they’re top shit waiting to get into a club or waiting to get a vodka raspberry or just trying to get to the other side of the dance floor via the most logical route….straight down the middle (seriously girls stop pushing myself and everyone else out of the way – we’re more important than you anyway, believe me.)

From time to time, I help my mum in our second-hand book exchange in the northern suburbs of Sydney. Today I had the pleasure of serving this seemingly sweet fifty-something year old lady. I was being my usual lovely self – smiley, chatty and ever so helpful, discussing what would be an enjoyable, ‘light’ read for her. Now, I doubt many of you (if any) have visited a book exchange before. It works a little like this. You bring books in that you don’t want anymore, we assess how much credit we give you based on our pricing system, you then use that credit towards buying more books. However, the catch is that it expires after twelve months. Like a gift voucher to Myer. Simple right?

Apparently not.

So this chick right, her name was Victoria, finally decides on her ‘light’ reading and comes up to the counter. Says she has credit, I tell her it’s expired, and shit gets fucking real.

She exploded, calling me a thief, accusing me of robbing her of cash. I fought back, explaining the conditions of trade, pointing out the signs in the shop that clearly state, 'CREDIT EXPIRES AFTER TWELVE MONTHS'.

Apparently to her, the system is just as much of a robbery as gift vouchers.

Anyway, to cut this long story short, she made me cry twice as she came in a second time after her "appointment" to yell at me for being a thief. I did NOT give in, and she did NOT get her $4.50 credit reinstated.

If she had been civil, I probably would have given it to her.

Moral of the story? Be nice to people..... and the customer is most definitely not always right.

And Vicky, I hope for the rest of your sad life, your boobs sag to your knees and people give you expired gift vouchers.

G x.