possibly the most tramatic call i've ever taken

[HawaiianShirts]

BTW, Geek King, as I type this, you've made 666 posts. I'm amused.

Hawaiian, I can't even begin to tell you how far we have come compared to just fifty years ago. Go back and look at how John Smith viewed the Native Americans and tell me we haven't come a long way. Look into seperate-but-equal beyond what the schools teach. We tell these stories now because it is no longer the norm, because they are so over the top next to how the rest of society acts.

True. I can't claim we've made no progress at all. That would be way off. But I've heard many claims that, in American society, racism and other prejudices either no longer exist or are so rare that they may as well not exist. That's my basis for saying we've not made as much progress as some like to believe.

And I really think that is the core of the problems we have with so many of these Sucky Customers: narrow-mindedness, whether that be in regards to religion or race or pizza topping preference or whatever. Which is why I agree with the suggestion that has been made here several times about requiring every able person to work in customer service or retail for a minimum period of time. There are few other jobs, I think, that will open a person up to so many different people and cultures and ideas.

On the alcohol thing: I don't drink either--weak livers run in my family, among other reasons. I enjoy hanging out with the drinkers who drink just to get drunk, though. They can be quite entertaining. Watched one girl in a bar/grill on her 21st birthday get absolutely plastered. She got up and tried to give everybody a strip show. She got her shirt off and her pants unzipped before she fell over on the floor, giggling like mad. Some random guy near her tried to help her up, saying he thought she'd had enough to drink. She said almost seductively, "You are SO hot," and tried to punch the him in the face at the same time. She missed; he passed her back (literally--she either could not or would not support her own weight) to one of her friends who dragged her outside). Laughed so hard I almost choked on my onion rings.

[RebeccaOTool]

The...hell...> What a bastard! Would you cuss out an Amish guy for not owning a computer, or a Baptist (like myself) for not gambeling?!

[smileyeagle1021]

Meh, chalk me up as in the "religion didn't need to be brought into it" camp. If you're not on site, that's a valid enough reason to not know where the bars would be. In fact, to me, that's an even more valid reason. Had it not been brought up, you would not have had to deal with his ignorance. It does not excuse his behavior, but it would have avoided it completely. The fact that Mormonism is one of the most misunderstood faiths in the US doesn't really help much either.

the problem though is (i think i pointed it out in an earlier post) when the person talks to me I AM the hotel, if I do my job properly the person never suspects that I'm sitting in a cubicle with a view of the 21st south freeway. If I do my job properly they'll think i'm sitting at the reservation desk at the hotel they called in San Diego, or Minneapolis, or Detroit, or New York (the 4 cities I handle). And yes, I've learned from my mistake, I still tell people I don't drink, but if they push further I just tell them it's for personal reasons and they don't need to know more than that.

BTW, Hawaiian shirts, you wouldn't happen to be sitting a few cubicles away from me, were you?

[smileyeagle1021]

The...hell...> What a bastard! Would you cuss out an a Baptist (like myself) for not gambeling?!

my grandma might... then again her medicade is paid for by gambling excise taxes, so she has a quasi valid reason to hate people who come into the state and don't gamble... even then I wouldn't say it's justified.

[Seshat]

I had a wanker hassling the designated freaking drivers at a party I had over here. I said "One more word out of you and I will call a taxi and see you leave in it, you understand?"

That guy was not invited back. And you're right, it's people like this that have no business drinking in the first place because they have an issue with it.

Just for that, Kinkoid, I would feel perfectly safe going to one of your parties.

[daleduke17]

<snip> reformed LDS believe that the leader of the church must be a living decendet of Joseph Smith and the LDS believe that any person called of God can lead the church <snip>

Joseph Smith, that's the name I was looking for. I remember learning about Mormons and Mr. Smith in Illinois History class in high school. Just the basics, like who he was and the fact Nauvoo, IL used to be the headquarters of Mormonism (much like Salt Lake City is now).

[smileyeagle1021]

(snip) Nauvoo, IL used to be the headquarters of Mormonism (much like Salt Lake City is now).

and that's the town name I was looking for... My coworkers were having a debate on whether or not the Salt Lake Temple should be considered the first temple... but now I know the city name I was thinking of.

[1756GR2]

When I was younger, I used to feel that I had to defend not drinking when someone was rude enough to press the point. I don't feel that way any more. I feel no hesitation in letting them know it's time to change the subject. It's simply that I don't drink. Period.

In every case where I'd tried to defend myself, their response was to justify why they DO drink by trying their best to get me to agree or by trying to make me feel foolish. It's a no-win on both sides. They have nothing to say to change me, and I have nothing to say to change them, if either of us wanted to change the other.

That guy was a rude jerk. Illegitimi non carborundum.

[daleduke17]

and that's the town name I was looking for... My coworkers were having a debate on whether or not the Salt Lake Temple should be considered the first temple... but now I know the city name I was thinking of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nauvoo%2C_IL

There ya go, SE1021.

[HawaiianShirts]

BTW, Hawaiian shirts, you wouldn't happen to be sitting a few cubicles away from me, were you?

Nope. I forfeited the call center game about three years ago now. And the place I worked was nowhere near the 21st South freeway.

I know what you mean about having the caller think you're somewhere you're not. Once had a woman threaten to "drive over and pound me" over something silly. She was in Vermont. That would have been a long drive for her...

[JustADude]

When I was younger, I used to feel that I had to defend not drinking when someone was rude enough to press the point.

I DO drink, but not excessively, only in company, and only if I have the cash for it. There are plenty of times when I'll go to my favorite wings-n-beer place just for the wings, since I'm either solo or short of the green stuff, and only once has some jackhole decided to get on me for ordering a diet coke.

My response?
"You picking up my tab? No? Then mind your own business."

Possibly a bit confrontational, especially given my rather annoyed tone, but it shut the guy up.

[princess4life]

I work in a call center in Utah I have gotten plenty of calls that go along the following line

SC: Where are you guys located?
ME: I am located in Salt Lake City Utah (well actually a suburb city but easier to say Salt Lake)
SC: . . . . . Are you one of those Mormons?
Me: "Yes, what can I help you with today?" or "Used to be" or "Nope" or just skip over the question completely the answer varies depending on my mood and the tone of the customer but mostly I just direct them back to the subject they where calling about.

In defense of the OP I drink but I don't know what bars are by what hotels, so when he asked what bars are close by my answer would have been "I don't know"

[Shangri-laschild]

I was raised Mormon, so I know that it can suck when people make comments about "oh, you don't do....., how come?" just ignore them. He's an idiot.

[smileyeagle1021]

I work in a call center in Utah I have gotten plenty of calls that go along the following line

SC: Where are you guys located?
ME: I am located in Salt Lake City Utah (well actually a suburb city but easier to say Salt Lake)

oh, if i didn't actually work in SLC (barely, we're kinda at the edge of SLC and WVC), but if I did work at one of those other call centers I'd tell people "i'm at the (taylorsville, West Valley City, Sandy, did I miss any of the SL suburbs with major call centers?) just to really mess with their heads as they try to figure out where the heck that town is. which remind me of a sucky customer when i worked for (rental car company), he had mud all over his vehicle, i told him I was writing it up as being taken offroad... he then lied and said he had to visit realitives in Millcreak and that there were no paved roads in that town... (now would be a good time to look at my location)... so rule number one, if you are going to make up excuses, don't make stuff up about where the employee lives.

[blas]

When I was younger, I used to feel pressured to drink. Hell, that's how my problems first started.

I've been sober since July 2nd, 2007. Previously I'd gone sober for almost 2 years but fell off the wagon and back on and back off so many times that I don't remember the dates. But I digress...

Anyone, and I don't care WHO it is, if anyone dare calls me a loser or an idiot for not drinking, I have this urge to shove a glass shard sideways up their ass. Honest to God, what's so wrong with trying to be sober or just drink responsibly, the way we were meant to?!

A couple of my former friends have already gotten a severe tongue lashing (though I wish it could have been a physical lashing) for taunting me for not drinking and childishly teasing me for being a "sober loser". I have plenty of energy now that I am thinking clearly to take down anyone who wants to slam being sober or being responsible.