Reece
I walked back to the register, wondering why I even tried to talk to Troy. I guess I really was concerned since he looked like shit when he walked in.
While Nena went to take a break, and Jamarcus went to check on a customer’s car, I stood by the register, watching the cars go through the tunnel, as I thought about the conversation I’d had with Nena the other day. She’d asked an interesting question about what my passion was. Honestly, there was one thing that I loved to do, but I never actually stuck with it. I don’t know if that was because I was scared to fulfill that specific goal, or because I’m really not ambitious. I see Vanessa doing her thing as a career woman and her husband Mark, who’s not only owns Suds, but also his restaurant, Lucinda’s with his best friend, Victor. Food is his passion, and even though people were against him living his dream, he went after it and fulfilled his lifelong goal.
Even Vanessa’s friend, Simone, went after her dream and started to pursue singing full-time. Once she married Mark’s father, Enrique, she quit Suds and is now a vocal coach as well as sing lead for a popular local band. That’s pretty impressive.
What do I have going for myself? I asked as I watched another car through the window. I’m just like one of the cars going through the tunnel. It’s moving, but what direction is it heading? That’s the theory I’ve been living with since I graduated college.
At least you know where the cars are going. They have direction; you still don’t.
I guess my conscience had a point.
I was suddenly interrupted from my thoughts by seeing a customer standing in front of me talking on the phone. He was loud with his conversation and he didn’t even bother to give me his ticket. I stared at him, wondering when he was going to realize he was in line.
“Sir. Excuse me, sir.”
He stared at me and threw his ticket at me, which made me tilt my head. I rolled my neck, knowing where this was heading. I was about to encounter a stupid ass customer.
I looked at the ticket, wondering what he’d gottten because no services were marked. Looking up to the heavens, I asked God to give me the strength to get through this transaction because I knew this man was going to have an attitude if I even attempted to ask him anything.
“Excuse me, sir.”
“Don’t you see I’m on the phone. Damn.” The guy said with an attitude.
My eyes grew wide as I rolled my neck again.
“Sir, I just wanted to ask what type of services your vehicle is getting.”
The guy was completely ignoring me as he continued with his conversation. Luckily there wasn’t anyone behind him, because they would have been pissed.
I waited for two minutes, thinking he was going to end his conversation, but he was still talking.
I tried to radio Pamela, the salesperson, through the walkie-talkie, to see what she gave the man, but she wasn’t answering.
“You have got to be kidding me.” I mumbled.
I took a deep breath to ask the customer again. Hopefully he wouldn’t be an asshole.
“Sir, I really need to know what type of services you’re getting? I’m sure your car is done by now.”
“Can’t you read? It’s on the damn ticket. Evidentially, you can’t if you’re working here.”
I could feel my blood pressure rising and I wasn’t going to listen to this man insult me any longer. With his ticket in hand, I went to the door of the office, slammed it, then went to the other door that led to the lobby, and slammed that as well.
“What the hell?” I heard Troy say I as walked outside. I went to Pamela to ask what the hell this man got, so I could get him out of my line before I slapped the taste out of him.
“Pamela, can you please tell me what the man that is standing in the lobby received, before I punch the shit out of him!”
“What?” Pamela asked in a shocked tone. Before she could say anything else, I went back inside, ready to have an altercation with this man. I haven’t had one in awhile, so I was looking forward to it.
I walked back to the office, as I saw Troy standing up, staring at me. I looked at him as I walked back to the register to stare at the rude customer. At least he was finally off of the phone.
“What the hell are you doing? You went outside, for what?” The customer asked.
“I had to go ask your salesperson what you wanted because clearly you couldn’t end your conversation for two seconds to tell me what the hell you purchased!”
“Excuse me? What type of cashier are you to be talking to me like that? Evidentially, you don’t know anything about customer service.”
“And evidentially, you don’t know common courtesy. You’re being rude by being on the phone when you should had been paying attention to answer a simple question.”
“Listen, if you don’t like your job, why do it. Don’t take it out on me because you don’t want to be here. Go to school and do something better with yourself. Dumb ass bitch!”
“Muthafucka!” I yelled as I was about to leap across the counter and grab his damn throat. Before I could do anything, the door opened and I felt Troy’s arms around my waist. He pulled me away from the counter as he quickly tried to take me into the office.
“Ghetto ass! You better handle that, Troy.” The customer said.
I tried to break away from Troy’s embrace, but he was too strong.
“Don’t let me find out which car is yours. I will go slash your damn tires!” I exclaimed.
“If you do, I will press charges. I hope he fires your ass.”
Jamarcus rushed to the register to deal with the customer as Troy slammed the door. He was still holding onto me as I pushed myself off of him.
“What the hell was that?!” He exclaimed.
“Don’t start, okay. That customer was rude as hell to me. I just asked him what services he was receiving because Pamela didn’t even mark his damn ticket. I tried radioing her, but she never answered. When I tried to ask him, he thought his conversation was more important than answering me. That’s why I got upset. If his conversation was so important, he should have never gotten in line in the first place.”
“I get what you’re saying, but you clearly made an ass out of yourself out there. You can’t be doing that, even if the customer is an asshole.”
“I seriously wanted to punch him,”
“And what good that would have done? It would have just made you look even more crazy and the customer would be trying to file a lawsuit. And Vanessa thinks I’m a liability. Hell, she needs to be looking at your crazy ass.”
“Excuse me.”
“I know about your job history, Reece. You can’t keep one because of your attitude.”
“How do you know that?”
“Just because you got a free pass with this job doesn’t mean I didn’t do my research on you. And it’s for good reason. I don’t need a babysitter; you do.”
I stared at him as he sat down on the edge of the desk. “Listen, I’ll talk to Pamela about the ticket. She should have marked whatever the customer got. You did the right thing by trying to contact her, but as far as calling the man a muthafucka and trying to reach at him, that was going too far. You better control that temper, mija.”
I stared at him as he smiled. “That sort of slipped out.”
I smiled. “I actually liked how you said it.”
We stared at each other when I cleared my throat. “Just so you know, I do speak a little Spanish; so whatever you do say around me, I will understand it.”
“Oh really.”
“I have a cousin-in-law who speaks Spanish fluently. Not only that, but I did take several courses in high school and in college.”
“Vanessa never told me that.”
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
“Just like you don’t about me. But maybe that’ll change soon.”
I smiled. “Maybe,”
Troy stared at me before clearing his throat again. “About that guy, just don’t let that happen again, okay. No matter how crazy a customer is, you know they will always be right. This is a business, so we have to give the best customer service possible.”
“I know, and I apologize for that. I was out of line. Honestly, I don’t know why I get like that. I can go from 0 to 100 in a second if anyone pisses me off.”
“Don’t you think that’s something you need to try and control?”
I nodded. “Yes I do, but sometimes people literally piss me off.”
He shook his head. “I know not to mess with you,”
“Glad you know that now.”
I looked behind me to see the store cameras were on display on the lobby. When I was in the office the other day, the cameras weren’t on, so I didn’t even know there were any in the store. I turned around to look at Troy.
“That’s how you knew?”
“That, and the fact you both were yelling, so I took action.”
“I’m sure.”
“Can I say something though?”
“What?”
“That was kind of a turn-on for me.”
I rolled my eyes as the door opened from the other side and Jamarcus walked in.
“So, I calmed down the customer and gave him a wash and detail for free.”
“What? Why you didn’t give him a discount?” Troy asked.
“Because Reece was about to kill him, so I think a free wash will be fine.”
“I wasn’t going to kill him. Maybe choke the crap out of him, though.”
“Anyway, he’s gone; but that was crazy. Who knew all that anger was in you, girl.”
I sighed as I stared at Troy, who laughed.
“He did say you must be angry because you’re not getting any.”
I gave the death stare to Jamarcus who held up his hands.
“Those were his exact words, not mine. But seriously, are you going to be okay, or do you need me to man the register until you calm down?”
I nodded. “I’m fine. Thanks, Jamarcus.”
“No problem. Just next time don’t let these customers get to you. If you do, we’ll be giving out free washes everyday.”
“It won’t happen again,”
He gave me a pat on the back as he headed to the door.
As soon as the door closed, Troy looked at me again and burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“What Jamarcus said. You know that guy has a point. That’s why you have so much built up tension. It’s been awhile since you had some.”
“You’re seriously talking to me like that?”
“You know, I can help with that, if you’re interested.”
“You’re full of yourself. I’d rather stay single and get myself off every day than sleep with you.”
I could hear Troy still laughing as the door closed.
“Jerk,” I mumbled as I stared at the window. The two of us had actually been having a decent conversation, but of course, he had to ruin it.
Why would I even think I could have a decent conversation with him? That’s just something he doesn’t know how to do.
The door opened and Troy stuck his head out to get my attention.
“You do know that wash is coming out of your check, right?”
I gave a shocked look and he laughed before closing the door.
I seriously wanted to throw something at the door since I couldn’t throw anything at him. It wasn’t my fault that customer was an idiot.
Realizing that I’m the one doing the payroll, a huge smile lit up my face... I’m sure that won’t be happening soon.
As I continued to stare at the window, it became clear that I’d rather be behind the scenes than on the front lines. It was time for me to find another cashier, because if I have to encounter another customer like that, I’ll probably be out of a job and possibly in jail.