There is only one difference between a madman and me. I am not mad. -Salvadore DaliIt's interesting what you can see and experience when you are in a job that needs you to meet a lot of people on all level. Last week I met a real case of looney person. She came in the shop and starts buying thing. (until she paid the price she was just as normal as my next door neighbor...and her credit card was working fine). Then she asked to sit for a while..as she said she was waiting for the clinic next door to open, at first I didn't really think much, since I rarely concentrate on the gist of what people mumble, just smile and listen and her reason do kind of made sense. Although if I was to think carefully I would know immediately that it was unlogical since the clinic opens at 8am and closes at 10 pm with no interval of recess in the middle.
But with the motto 'customer always right', I let her sat there and talk. She did most of the talking...I just listen and nodded, just said 'ahh' 'hmm' 'really' (like you are really astonish...you need good eye contact to pull this off) at appropriate times. As I was listening her story was becoming more absurd (the stories went from hillarious to a bit absurd..to more absurd to downright horror in the span of half an hour).
She started about how she attended a MLM meeting...then it goes to how everyone attended the meeting were Christianized and then she starts berating her familiy members as the gang of Satan. If at first I was a little amused by her 'God save mankind' speech...by the time she starts telling story how doctors at a private hospital serve as Satan's army and do 'evil' business in hospital toilets (and get this...they have horns coming out of their heads...hehehe) I'm pretty sure I'm sitting with a real case crackpot. I don't want to upset her...so I kept smiling and nodding like I understand her cause. ( a bit scared really since you don't really know what goes on that pretty little head of hers). The funny part was..while I was nodding and smiling I was subtly moving all object that might be use as a weapon...pens, frame, bottles...even the 'drop you card' bowl was moved out of the way. (if she decided to use the chair as weapon...then God help me)
A bit of hope flurried as her daugther appeared with a cellphone (she berated the kid too), then the hope died as the kid just hands off the phone and walk off. (At that moment I wanted to shout at the girl and ask her to take her mother with her...I have a business to run!. Off course I didn't do it, I was afraid that if I did...her nutcase mother will start a real case of nutcase tantrums right there...then I will be in real trouble. So I smiled at sit again and listen...again!)
After that things started to go a little awry as whoever was on the phone annoyed the nutcase and she started to scream and shouts, then cry to whoever the unlucky fellow was. ( I kept praying fervently for miracle.....'get her out of here...get her out of here'). To my horror another customer came and I'm pretty sure she was befuddled by the emotional display of the nutcase. I smiled and explain about the fiasco.(in the middle of shouts, cries and scream) I just hope she doesn't go home and tell story about how the store carter 'looney'. I'm lucky the nutcase was too occupied with the cellphone to notice we are there.
After almost an hour of listening and smiling and becaming very pious indeed. My prayer was answered. Her husband showed up and and start dragging her out.(not very nice scene...more screams and shouts) He said he was sorry for interuping our business. I was too glad to be angry. I just hope he keep his wife near him next time she decided to go on for a shopping spree.
( and get her help for the emotional disturbance).
But with the motto 'customer always right', I let her sat there and talk. She did most of the talking...I just listen and nodded, just said 'ahh' 'hmm' 'really' (like you are really astonish...you need good eye contact to pull this off) at appropriate times. As I was listening her story was becoming more absurd (the stories went from hillarious to a bit absurd..to more absurd to downright horror in the span of half an hour).
She started about how she attended a MLM meeting...then it goes to how everyone attended the meeting were Christianized and then she starts berating her familiy members as the gang of Satan. If at first I was a little amused by her 'God save mankind' speech...by the time she starts telling story how doctors at a private hospital serve as Satan's army and do 'evil' business in hospital toilets (and get this...they have horns coming out of their heads...hehehe) I'm pretty sure I'm sitting with a real case crackpot. I don't want to upset her...so I kept smiling and nodding like I understand her cause. ( a bit scared really since you don't really know what goes on that pretty little head of hers). The funny part was..while I was nodding and smiling I was subtly moving all object that might be use as a weapon...pens, frame, bottles...even the 'drop you card' bowl was moved out of the way. (if she decided to use the chair as weapon...then God help me)
A bit of hope flurried as her daugther appeared with a cellphone (she berated the kid too), then the hope died as the kid just hands off the phone and walk off. (At that moment I wanted to shout at the girl and ask her to take her mother with her...I have a business to run!. Off course I didn't do it, I was afraid that if I did...her nutcase mother will start a real case of nutcase tantrums right there...then I will be in real trouble. So I smiled at sit again and listen...again!)
After that things started to go a little awry as whoever was on the phone annoyed the nutcase and she started to scream and shouts, then cry to whoever the unlucky fellow was. ( I kept praying fervently for miracle.....'get her out of here...get her out of here'). To my horror another customer came and I'm pretty sure she was befuddled by the emotional display of the nutcase. I smiled and explain about the fiasco.(in the middle of shouts, cries and scream) I just hope she doesn't go home and tell story about how the store carter 'looney'. I'm lucky the nutcase was too occupied with the cellphone to notice we are there.
After almost an hour of listening and smiling and becaming very pious indeed. My prayer was answered. Her husband showed up and and start dragging her out.(not very nice scene...more screams and shouts) He said he was sorry for interuping our business. I was too glad to be angry. I just hope he keep his wife near him next time she decided to go on for a shopping spree.
( and get her help for the emotional disturbance).
Although when all the excitement died I wanted to berate the irresponsible husband of hers. What kind of husband left his 'nutcase' wife unattented on a shopping spree and only came looking after an hour. I know it's must be very relieving not to hear her yell at you for an hour but to left her with stranger and not even show your face...(you deserved the yell and all the curse she throws at you)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't the fine line between sanity and madness gotten finer? -George Price
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