Saturday Night at the Movies

[cinema guy]

On Saturday night I was manning the box office and for a short period I was left on my own just as it started to get busy. My coworker was on his break and the sup who was covering was called away.

So there is queue, because I'm on my own and we have a voucher thing going on which the customers fail to fill in before they arrive so it slows everything down.

At this point I get a questioning customer:

QC: "What rating is 1408? Is it suitable for him?" Points to his son.
Me: "It's a 15. Is he 15?
QC: "What's it about?"
Me: starting to get antsy, lookining at the queue "It's about a guy who stays in a haunted hotel room."
QC: "What's Disturbia about?"
I reach up to the counter, get a leaflet with details of the films. Hand it to him.
Me: "This tells you about all of the films. If you could just stand to one side while you decide so I can serve all of these people. Because I'm the only one serving."
QC: "I've read that. It doesn't tell me anything."
Me: ...
QC: "Why are you the only one serving?"
Me:
QC: "We'll go for 1408."
Me: thinking "At LAST!"

[Shironu-Akaineko]

Me: "This tells you about all of the films. If you could just stand to one side while you decide so I can serve all of these people. Because I'm the only one serving."
QC: "I've read that. It doesn't tell me anything."

What exactly did that SC need to know? Those leaflets are pretty clear!

Also, INTERNET????

[digilight]

What exactly did that SC need to know? Those leaflets are pretty clear?

Probably - is my child going to see boobies or see someones head blown off....cause naked folks is wrong....but a little good old fashioned violence, well that just hits the spot..

[auntiem]

I used to torture my customers when they asked me what a film was about. I would go on long lectures on what the film was about using words like "interplay" "deconstruction" "angst" - you get the idea. Just as their eyes would glaze over I'd say "Oh, you mean what is the plot?!"

I also used to love it when parents would ask me if the film was appropriate for their <insert age> kid - how the heck would I know what they are or aren't mature enough to handle? Sometimes I would say "heck, the movie disturbs even me and I'm a grown woman and I booked it on purpose".

[mariamousie1]

Why bother doing any checking of your own when you've got your own personal slaves to tell you what you need to know? Cause you know, you're the only person in the world since that comet came and killed everyone except you and customer service employees.
Sorry, I'm weird tonight.

[Auto]

Lucky the guy wasn't in a NYC deli line during morning/lunch rush.

There, asking the guy behind the counter a question of any sort generates the following answer: "Who's next?"

Unlike how it is in LA, where people wating for 10 minutes at Starbucks will get to the head of the line and now that they have an audience, proceed to engage the barista in a long and involved conversation about the coffee she's about to order. Everyone just waits politely watching some assclown debate what to order.

Which is the identical coffee she ordered the day before.

I love how impatient NYers won't tolerate jerk-offs holding up the line during busy times with questions, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.

[BaristaGirl]

Unlike how it is in LA, where people wating for 10 minutes at Starbucks will get to the head of the line and now that they have an audience, proceed to engage the barista in a long and involved conversation about the coffee she's about to order. Everyone just waits politely watching some assclown debate what to order.

Which is the identical coffee she ordered the day before.

...*Cough*

Most customers at my location are polite enough to stare at the menu and beckon people behind them up the counter until they're ready. Except the true idiots. And even in those cases, there are usually enough of us for one to take the person in line behind them, and another to answer any questions the undecided party may have about his or her options. XD I'm lucky that way. I'd be way too impatient otherwise.

[hecubus]

When I worked at the theater, I hated people who would come up to the counter and ask what every movie was about. Even after we had cards that gave details about the movies, they would still ask me about them insead.

Auntiem's post about giving long lectures using big words reminded me of one incident I had; a guy came up to the box office and asked, "What's {Movie} about?"

I said, "Well, it's really kind of a complicated movie, and the plot is difficult to summarize."

He looked at me for a minute, and then said, "Oh." (long pause) "So, what's it about?"

I don't really remember the next few minute, 'cause I think he shorted out my brain.

[Jester]

I also used to love it when parents would ask me if the film was appropriate for their <insert age> kid - how the heck would I know what they are or aren't mature enough to handle?

I get something similar to this as a server.
"Will that be enough for the two of us?"
"Will that be enough for my child?"
"Will that be too much food for me?"

Well, Dr. Klu Liss, I have no idea, since I JUST MET YOU and have NO IDEA what kind of APPETITE you normally have! I can tell you how large something is, I can tell you what most people think of it, I can tell you all kinds of things. But I can't tell you how YOU are going to deal with our menu items, since I don't KNOW you! Everyone's different, and I have seen large people eat very little and small people eat a whole shitload. And I have no idea where you fall on the metabolism spectrum. Myself, I could eat a horse, and wouldn't even have to wait for it to stop moving. But that's me....I have a healthy appetite. It helps when you are plotting to overthrow small obscure countries that have no strategic value to anyone. You, I don't know. You don't look like the hungry revolutionary I am.

But I could be wrong. I have enough ex-girlfriends to attest to THAT!

[cinema guy]

I love how impatient NYers won't tolerate jerk-offs holding up the line during busy times with questions, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.

Well, this was England where queueing politely is a national passtime.