I had to be mean last night

[Phonetek]

Leagues were finishing up and one of my bowlers called me from the parking lot saying that some kids were doing donuts in the parking lot. As manager I had to go out there to investigate. The bowler pointed the group of teens walking in.

So I quickly went to the counter and waited for them to come up. They said "Can we get a pool table?" I said "Mmm I dunno, you gonna make the cue ball do donuts on the table like you just did in the parking lot in your truck?" The look on their faces were priceless and completely lost as to how I knew.

I said "YEAH!... I saw you! (Which I didn't) I got your license plate and a video!" (Which I didn't) Do any sh** like that again I will ban you for life! Understand me?! With that scared look in their eyes they said "Yes sir, were sorry." (Sorry they got caught) I said "No, I don't have a pool table, they are all being used right now, you can wait if you wish." (Pool tables were in fact being used) My subordinates were just as stunned as the kids because they knew nothing about what was going on. They were like "Damn we aren't ever gonna mess with you!" LMAO

They quietly walked down to a table and sat down. It was hilarious, the look on their faces knowing they were stone cold busted. They were quiet the whole time they waited for a table, not a peep. Inevitably they never did get a table, they were still full and they decided to leave.

I walked out there watching them leave incognito. They started their truck reving the engine, then I made myself visible holding my cell phone up like I was recording them. They drove out slowly and quietly like they were in a funeral precession. It was quite amusing. Ironically when I came back in a table opened up. LOL

I was thinking, how would Boaty have handled this? I'm thinking a lot like the Sheriff in the movie Porky's. "You're getting a ticket for that busted headlight!" "I don't have a busted headlight?" SMASH! Then shot out a few tires and so on.

Bottom line is, they could have hit one of the bowlers in the lot or something else. Not to mention the tire tracks which the owner won't be pleased about. I mean I did donuts in parking lots as a teen but never one with any people or cars. Usually one where the place was out of business.

[boatman37]

meanie!


lol. nah. I'm actually pretty lenient. Never really ruled with an iron fist. I mean back in my bar days I was a little more 'stearn'. Well there was the day I threated to throw a Hells Angel out of a biker rally (actually I think he was a Pagan but can't remember). lol. Yeah wasn't the most comfortable thing I have done but had to be done...lol. The next day he came up and put his arm around me and was pretty friendly. But those guys all treat you well if you don't disrespect them. They even offered me a burger but who knows what they might have spiked it with if I had accepted...lol

[boomer]

as someone who works with college kids every single day - I like your approach. I have to do similar in academic labs and classrooms (repeatedly - every year new students come in and they have to be started straight. . .) and that approach a: lets them know that they can't get away with stuff (I actually have cameras that run 24/7 and keep footage for 90 days) and b: that you're not a total A-hole about it.

Nice!

[RobLV1]

Mean? You just described me on a good day! My best friend nicknamed me several years ago... COG (crotchety old goat). I now have it imprinted on my golf balls. LOL

[Phonetek]

Mean? You just described me on a good day! My best friend nicknamed me several years ago... COG (crotchety old goat). I now have it imprinted on my golf balls. LOL

Touche'... Okay.. I was mean to the point where it was mean for ME. I've never been one of those guys who when someone says/does something, suddenly my face turns red and that little Y shaped vein starts popping out of my forehead. I'm pretty chill and usually walk around with a smile on my face as opposed to someone who's always sneering like they are always annoyed looking like they are constantly sneering a fart. Of course since we are always wearing masks these days who can tell anymore?

When I do get angry I'm one of those people who have few tells. If I get quiet, that's the main sign you done p'ed me off!. If that happens it means I'm concentrating on some way to get you so beware! Being a phone tech all those years I've heard every insult in the book so I have extremely thick skin.

I rarely ever get to my boiling point to where I'll shout at someone. The only people capable of getting me like that all live under this roof and my mother in law. Since I avoid the last one better than Covid, it's a very rare thing. What I described in the OP is about as bad as I ever get.

Yeah I could have gotten loud with those kids. I could have used much more colorful language. I could have came out and chased them out and called the cops. All would have been justified. Instead I was calm, sarcastic, direct and even a little humerus and it still made them walk away like puppy who just got smacked in the nose with a newspaper for soiling the rug. Plus there was nothing I did that I'd be getting a taking to from my boss for later. Actually he was told about it any was quite impressed. He said "You handled it way better than I would have." and laughed. Just because you can be a douche didn't mean you have to.

[Phonetek]

One more example and I gotta go, I have gifts I gotta wrap! LOL

This guy of a middle Eastern decent who I've seen a few times now comes to the counter with an attitude. He always does. He says "I WANT lanes 59 & 60!" Mind you this was Saturday night and we had 1-58 used for leagues and 18 left for open bowl. I said "Sorry, you can't have 59 & 60, those are our breakdown pair for leagues." He says "Wait, WHY? What does that mean?" I said "It means if a pair my league bowlers are using breaks down in need of repair, I have that pair to move them to."

He said "I WANT 61 & 62 then!" I said "Uh no, you can't have those either. That's our buffer pair." He said "Wait, WHY? What does that mean?" I said that is a pair that stays vacant because our league bowlers don't want to bowl next to little kids with bumpers and ramps, teenagers and people like you. I can give you lane 81."

He said "I want a pair not just one!" I asked "For how many people?" He said "Me and my girlfriend." I said "Then absolutely no, I can't give a pair to two people." He said "Why not?" I said "Because it's prime time on a Saturday night and I have limited lanes and a waiting list for a pair. I can't justify giving a pair to only two people, groups only."

He said "I have a group of 5!" I said "You just said it was for just got you and your woman. Even still, 5 can still use one lane. Actually up to 6 people. Anything 7 or more you can get a pair when it becomes available. Since you have less... LANE 81!"

Right when he they got there, lane 82 just finished. I had a group of 5 that came in and I put them there. Soon as they got down here he stormed back up to the counter and shouted "I'M COMPLETELY OFFENDED! You just put that group right next to me instead of giving me that lane!" I said. "Are you offended because I put you on the odd numbered lane because I can swap you?"

He said no "I'm offended because you said you didn't have a pair available and then you did and you gave it away!" I said "Again, I can only give out a PAIR to groups of 7 or more during prime time with limited lanes!" He said "I WANT AND DEMAND BOTH LANES!" At this point I had enough of his attitude and him puffing up his tiny chest so I said "As the great philosopher "Jagger" once said "You can't always get what you want." Look...You have two choices at this point because I have a line of people to take care of. You can either shut up, take your easily offended little a** to lane 81 and go bowl with your woman OR I can give you 86, which isn't a lane. Meaning you're outta here and you can be offended in the parking lot. So? What's it gonna be because I can use lane 81?" He stomped away like a little kid who's mom wouldn't buy a candy bar at the store and went and bowled. No, he's not even a good bowler either, didn't break 100 and his woman even beat him. Which she probably got smacked around for when they got home.

I hate people with superiority complexes who come in and make demands and give attitude. I'll go out off my way to not give you what you want even if I can. I was really hoping an employee came in or my son to bowl. I would have purposely put them on 83 & 84 by themselves right next to that guy just because.

Okay, I'm out got stuff to do. Hope you enjoyed my banter with idiots. It always makes my day.

[J Anderson]

One more example and I gotta go, I have gifts I gotta wrap! LOL

This guy of a middle Eastern decent who I've seen a few times now comes to the counter with an attitude. He always does. He says "I WANT lanes 59 & 60!" Mind you this was Saturday night and we had 1-58 used for leagues and 18 left for open bowl. I said "Sorry, you can't have 59 & 60, those are our breakdown pair for leagues." He says "Wait, WHY? What does that mean?" I said "It means if a pair my league bowlers are using breaks down in need of repair, I have that pair to move them to."

He said "I WANT 61 & 62 then!" I said "Uh no, you can't have those either. That's our buffer pair." He said "Wait, WHY? What does that mean?" I said that is a pair that stays vacant because our league bowlers don't want to bowl next to little kids with bumpers and ramps, teenagers and people like you. I can give you lane 81."

He said "I want a pair not just one!" I asked "For how many people?" He said "Me and my girlfriend." I said "Then absolutely no, I can't give a pair to two people." He said "Why not?" I said "Because it's prime time on a Saturday night and I have limited lanes and a waiting list for a pair. I can't justify giving a pair to only two people, groups only."

He said "I have a group of 5!" I said "You just said it was for just got you and your woman. Even still, 5 can still use one lane. Actually up to 6 people. Anything 7 or more you can get a pair when it becomes available. Since you have less... LANE 81!"

Right when he they got there, lane 82 just finished. I had a group of 5 that came in and I put them there. Soon as they got down here he stormed back up to the counter and shouted "I'M COMPLETELY OFFENDED! You just put that group right next to me instead of giving me that lane!" I said. "Are you offended because I put you on the odd numbered lane because I can swap you?"

He said no "I'm offended because you said you didn't have a pair available and then you did and you gave it away!" I said "Again, I can only give out a PAIR to groups of 7 or more during prime time with limited lanes!" He said "I WANT AND DEMAND BOTH LANES!" At this point I had enough of his attitude and him puffing up his tiny chest so I said "As the great philosopher "Jagger" once said "You can't always get what you want." Look...You have two choices at this point because I have a line of people to take care of. You can either shut up, take your easily offended little a** to lane 81 and go bowl with your woman OR I can give you 86, which isn't a lane. Meaning you're outta here and you can be offended in the parking lot. So? What's it gonna be because I can use lane 81?" He stomped away like a little kid who's mom wouldn't buy a candy bar at the store and went and bowled. No, he's not even a good bowler either, didn't break 100 and his woman even beat him. Which she probably got smacked around for when they got home.

I hate people with superiority complexes who come in and make demands and give attitude. I'll go out off my way to not give you what you want even if I can. I was really hoping an employee came in or my son to bowl. I would have purposely put them on 83 & 84 by themselves right next to that guy just because.

Okay, I'm out got stuff to do. Hope you enjoyed my banter with idiots. It always makes my day.

A cousin of mine used to work the parts counter for a new car dealer. When a customer used that kind of attitude toward him the parts ordered by that person would mysteriously wind up on some sort of indefinite back order. In other words the parts would wind up on the least accessible shelf in the back of the stock room for weeks until my cousin thought the customer had been sufficiently punished.

[boatman37]

lol.

Not a meany story but we have one guy in our league that really pushes the limits of lane courtesy. He seems to start his approach as soon as the guy next to him takes his 2nd step. Being a lefty and him being on the lane to my left I have an off balance hop and end up right in line with the left gutter usually. I have been beside him when I hear his ball hit the lane before mine even gets to the arrows. And this guy was a 200+ bowler with lots of league experience. The other day he was in the lane next to us and I was getting ready to bowl. Looked over to be sure the lane was clear and saw it was him there so I sat my ball back down and told him to go ahead of me.

[Phonetek]

Any time you deal with the public you're going to run into people like these. If it be a car dealer, utility repair, bowling center or whatever. They are out there just waiting to meet you and make you miserable. You learn quick to make them miserable first.

[boomer]

lol.

Not a meany story but we have one guy in our league that really pushes the limits of lane courtesy. He seems to start his approach as soon as the guy next to him takes his 2nd step. Being a lefty and him being on the lane to my left I have an off balance hop and end up right in line with the left gutter usually. I have been beside him when I hear his ball hit the lane before mine even gets to the arrows. And this guy was a 200+ bowler with lots of league experience. The other day he was in the lane next to us and I was getting ready to bowl. Looked over to be sure the lane was clear and saw it was him there so I sat my ball back down and told him to go ahead of me.

sometime "accidentally" drop the ball off your backswing over into his lane - it happens to all of us eventually and can work as a lesson for him. . .