Working in retail...
...as I do means that you come into contact with a lot of 'characters'.

One of our regular customers is a little hard of hearing. VERY hard of hearing (as in would probably miss a Dominos moped at three feet distance). One day he potters in and goes to purchase a walkman. Trouble is, as my colleague was trying to explain the price, type of batteries etc she realised he had no idea what she was saying. So she raised her voice. He, being deaf responds at past eardrum bursting point despite the fact there is no need. I was out the back of the store and wondered what the bloody hell was going on. So I poke my head out front only to witness two people stood a metre apart bellowing at each other as though someone had parked a festival PA system on the counter.

Now this was all very well and although amused I did manage to control my professional self. However...

An hour or so later he reappeared, wobbled to the counter and resumed conversing with the same person as before. It appeared that the walkman was faulty (it wasn't but he just wasn't getting to grips with it). Now I, and I like to think any normal person, would have just accepted he needed a more simple model and given him his money back, not my colleague, oooooh no. She starts explaining how to use it. I am now stood next to her serving on the adjacent till and the ear battering is getting worse...

"YOU NEED TO PRESS THIS BUTTON" shouts till lady
"DO I NEED TO PRESS THIS BUTTON" replies customer
"YES THAT ONE. CAN YOU HEAR IT PLAYING MUSIC NOW?"
"THIS ONE? I CAN HEAR IT PLAYING MUSIC"

Suddenly from the main office I can hear my boss and her deputy starting to laugh. I guffaw and choke it back. My customer notices and starts to giggle. She chokes it back. I find tears are pricking my eyes and the noise from the office is getting louder and louder whilst Mr Deaf Gent and Miss Till Lady are still locked in the aural equivalent of talking through a concrete radiation shield. Then she shouts something as loud as humanly possible for the fourth time and he replies asking the same thing... and I lose it. I know he is deaf and I felt so awful for laughing but the scenario was so ridiculous it was impossible not to be hysterical. I somehow finished the sale with the customer giggling fit to burst before I run like fuck towards the exit door to the stockroom leaving a tittering till queue and, bent double, I howled laughter into the floor, tears running down my face in torrents.

As I walked back into the office to find two managers, red faced, make up everywhere, the gent was thankfully beginning his journey towards the front door. I do feel a bit guilty but secretly I do wish he would return although preferably when I am not on the next till.!!

Sorry for the length, I just really wanted to get my point across (the counter).
(elfinpunk Touching Cloth Since, Mon 26 Jul 2010, 20:35, 4 replies)

I wouldn't worry too much about it
This is very tame compared to one or two other tales i've read on here today.
(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Mon 26 Jul 2010, 20:51, closed)

Thanks...
err I think. Lol.
(elfinpunk Touching Cloth Since, Mon 26 Jul 2010, 20:53, closed)

Haha sorry, I wasn't bashing your story
It's just difficult to be think bad of you after having read this moments beforehand

b3ta.com/questions/guiltylaughs/post802900
(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Tue 27 Jul 2010, 8:48, closed)

Well it made I chuckle and therefore you get a click!
( Vambo, Mon 26 Jul 2010, 23:42, closed)