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So last week the heat of summer broke and we finally had a pleasant and cool day. Since it was bright and sunny, I decided it would be a good day to change the sign out front. I love my desk, don't get me wrong, but the occasional change is good.
My suction-cup-on-a-stick isn't quite long enough to reach the highest letters, so I use a ladder. While I am flailing this about, a pickup truck pulls up next to me. The placard on the side says it is a sign and banner company. This is partially responsible for the weirdness that ensues.
The guy who leans out of it looks normal enough, but his redneck accent makes him nearly incomprehensible. The first thing he asks is "Whaddya get for your rooms?"
Normal enough. I quote him the rate of the day. Then he asks about the Biker Weekend. Something like 75,000 Harley enthusiasts will be in town. Do you think there are hotel rooms available?
"I'm sorry, sir. I'm totally sold out. You should try the hotels in the next city."
"But whaddya get for them?"
"Well they are $100 plus tax, but I'm totally sold out. You should try the next city"
Now this is where it gets weird. He asks me, "Well, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?"
I'm rather puzzled by this. "Excuse me?"
"Next week, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?"
"I don't believe our signs need any maintenance"
"But you wouldn't like it."
"What do you mean?"
So he repeats himself. "Next week, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?"
Well, repeating a stupid question doesn't make it any less stupid.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand. Could you please restate or rephrase your question?" (Yes, that's the wording I used. I get lots of calls from people who don't speak the Queen's English and using different nomenclature often clears up misunderstandings.)
No good. Once again, he goes, "Next week, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?" He must be a member of the "if they don't speak English, just talk louder" school of communication, because he is practically shouting redneck gibberish at this point.
"What do you mean? Our signs don't need maintenance, either this week or the next."
"But the price is different."
Breakthrough! "So you are upset that our prices change throughout the year."
"Yeah! The price should be the price."
So he was basically saying that I would be upset if he gave me one price for signs for this week, but then increased it next week.
At this point I am tired of this conversation. Why should I spoil the nice weather by giving a lecture on supply and demand to an ignorant hick? The next thing that occurs in this type of conversation is they accuse me of price gouging, which also demonstrates their ignorance of the law. So I decide to blow him off.
"If you don't like my prices, you may take your business to my competitor."
And I pity my competitor too, for having to deal with this kind of person. And I'm really glad that my signs don't need fixing.
My suction-cup-on-a-stick isn't quite long enough to reach the highest letters, so I use a ladder. While I am flailing this about, a pickup truck pulls up next to me. The placard on the side says it is a sign and banner company. This is partially responsible for the weirdness that ensues.
The guy who leans out of it looks normal enough, but his redneck accent makes him nearly incomprehensible. The first thing he asks is "Whaddya get for your rooms?"
Normal enough. I quote him the rate of the day. Then he asks about the Biker Weekend. Something like 75,000 Harley enthusiasts will be in town. Do you think there are hotel rooms available?
"I'm sorry, sir. I'm totally sold out. You should try the hotels in the next city."
"But whaddya get for them?"
"Well they are $100 plus tax, but I'm totally sold out. You should try the next city"
Now this is where it gets weird. He asks me, "Well, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?"
I'm rather puzzled by this. "Excuse me?"
"Next week, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?"
"I don't believe our signs need any maintenance"
"But you wouldn't like it."
"What do you mean?"
So he repeats himself. "Next week, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?"
Well, repeating a stupid question doesn't make it any less stupid.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand. Could you please restate or rephrase your question?" (Yes, that's the wording I used. I get lots of calls from people who don't speak the Queen's English and using different nomenclature often clears up misunderstandings.)
No good. Once again, he goes, "Next week, you wouldn't like it if I went up on your signs?" He must be a member of the "if they don't speak English, just talk louder" school of communication, because he is practically shouting redneck gibberish at this point.
"What do you mean? Our signs don't need maintenance, either this week or the next."
"But the price is different."
Breakthrough! "So you are upset that our prices change throughout the year."
"Yeah! The price should be the price."
So he was basically saying that I would be upset if he gave me one price for signs for this week, but then increased it next week.
At this point I am tired of this conversation. Why should I spoil the nice weather by giving a lecture on supply and demand to an ignorant hick? The next thing that occurs in this type of conversation is they accuse me of price gouging, which also demonstrates their ignorance of the law. So I decide to blow him off.
"If you don't like my prices, you may take your business to my competitor."
And I pity my competitor too, for having to deal with this kind of person. And I'm really glad that my signs don't need fixing.
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