Lessons from a nutball

I’ve been dragging my butt at work lately but still trying to hang on. It’s times like these that I really fold into myself and try my best to act as if nothing is wrong…although I’ve had a few comments from some of my co-workers. It seems I’m not my ‘normal bubbly self’ these days…what’s up? In my opinion, I’ve never been normal nor have I ever been anything close to ‘bubbly’. What do they see in me? Curious. Sometimes I really wish I could step outside of myself and look at me through my friends’ eyes. I’m not sure if I would be terribly shocked in a good way…or in a bad way. It would be interesting, though.
Yesterday a customer got a hold of me…and boy…let me tell you. I was totally unprepared for her, and my reaction to her. If I said she nailed my ass to the wall…that would be sorta incorrect. It’s more like…she pushed my whole body completely through the wall…or, maybe, a couple of walls. Good grief, already. She was…something else. In an odd way, she also inspired me. She was of Mexican heritage (a large part of my customer base is) and while speaking with me she flipped back and forth between English and Spanish. My Spanish is rudimentary at best. I understand some very basics, and, of course, some of the curse words (who doesn’t?). She did everything but drop the ‘f bomb’, which, at that point I would have disconnected.
Looking back, it’s amazing the abuse I tolerated on that call. I listened to her for a good thirty minutes, spilling her bile, calling me and my company just about every name in the book, and telling me that I personally was responsible for everything that ever went wrong in this world including original sin.
Wow.
Her problem? She went to one of the local stores to get an air card. She wanted access to the internet. She was upset because we requested a deposit. Well, that happens if you get disconnected for non-pay eight out of the last twelve months. I have a lot of latitude when it comes to matters like this…but, even this was out of my control. Then she started telling me about the air card. Boy, she got the wrong rep for that…I own an air card. I know exactly how it works. She thought it was just an accessory you pick up…like a car charger…which makes me scratch me head…uhhh…ya think ya gonna get access to the net for free?! I started wondering if she even had a laptop as we got further into the conversation. This woman, I’m sure, couldn’t find her ass with a map and a flashlight.
After ten minutes or so of her bitching, we got to the root of her problem. She’s disabled, she can’t use her right hand. And because of that, she was expecting a boatload of freebies from my company. She demanded that I list out every single discount we offered. Folks, I can’t do that, it’s too numerous, and it’s why we have a special website just for that. And no, we don’t offer discounts just for people with disabilities. Look. I don’t mean to sound harsh, because I have a big heart when it comes to stuff like that. What really tees me off are the few that bitch and bellyache and want everything handed over to them for free simply because of a disability. Those people make it difficult for the rest, who truly need assistance, to get it. This woman already had several cell phones in her name and could not keep up with paying the bill as it is. What in the hell made her think that we would hand over an air card…so she can rack up even more charges?! I so wanted to tell her to dump her service and spend her money where it was needed…food and medicine. She was calling from a land line so I know she had phone service. I also hold this unpopular stance: owning a cell phone or an air card is a privilege, not a right. Today’s society would have you believe that everyone has to have a cell phone, but it’s just not the case. Anyone who gets one has to go through a credit screening, and, yes, for an air card, too. You have to be able show that you can pay for the service, or, if we’re willing to take a chance on you, you have to pay for a deposit. If your credit stinks, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been with us, your credit stinks.
Anyway, I listened to this terribly unhappy, screaming person until she ended up hanging up on me a good thirty minutes later when she finally got that I wasn’t going to budge. Halfway during the call I felt my mood lifting. As she was ranting I was thinking about how what type of person she was personally…maybe she really is a great person, maybe a lot of things happened to her today and having a deposit requested for an air card was just the last straw for her, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time for her to go off on.
No matter. She taught me a lesson. I’m fighting with depression here. She gave me a close up view of how I don’t want to come across to people. I am not my normal self when depression sets in, as, I’m sure…I hope, she was not her normal self during that call. Does my heart go out to her? Yes, it does. I’m sure she has to deal with things everyday that I simply take for granted…something as simple as typing this post would probably be extremely difficult for her.
And that humbles me. I am so blessed in so many ways…it could be a lot worse…after she hung up I sent up a quick prayer to my Lord…thanking Him for His patience with me as I work to get this depression under control.
Thank you, my dear customer. You will never know how much good you did me by abusing my ears for about a half hour. I wish you the best, sweetie. And I am being completely sincere.

Not my will, but Thy will be done.
All of my love,
Riccie