Sunday, March 16, 2008

Watch out for the squirrels..

Today I found a great website called Not Always Right. It's basically stories from various employees who have had a run in with the crazies. Photobucket

As someone who has worked with clients for a very long time I totally appreciated this site. In some cases as we all know customers/clients can, and often do = stupid.

Whether or not this is sheer dumbness (in which case I suspect it's just a matter of time before social Darwinism catches up to them), or just a brain fart at that particular moment, we will never know, but it sure makes for some good reading. Because you know, stupidity can be hilarious at times.

Anyhoo, this got me to thinking about all the client interactions I have had over the years, and though I've encountered many folks of the lower IQ persuasion, there is one story in particular that stands out. Not because it was particularly stupid, although I guess that depends on how you look at it, but because of the sheer absurdity not to mention paranoia of this person.

I must also mention that I work at an animal hospital and as a technician I often have the job of answering client questions on the phone.

It goes like this:

Me: Thank you for calling _____________ this is Michele speaking, how can I help you?

Client: Um... Yeah... I was walking my dog in the park and I looked up at a tree, and a squirrel dropped an acorn in my eye.

Me: Uh huh...(Waiting for him to get to the part that relates to his dog)

Client: Well am I going to get rabies?

Me: (totally flabbergasted) Huh? Rabies? How so?

Client: Well, the squirrel dropped it into my eye. Will I get rabies?

Me: You want to know if you will get rabies from an acorn?

Client: The squirrel had it in his mouth, don't they carry rabies?

Me: I suppose they can, but it would be pretty unlikely especially in our area. We don't see rabies cases anymore, except maybe in bats.

Client: I was just wondering because if he had rabies, and he had the acorn in his mouth, before he dropped in on my eye, then I could get it too right?

Me: Let me ask you a question.

Client: Ok

(At this point I'm really trying hard not to laugh, and stay serious, especially since my co-workers around me have since stopped working and have been listening to the conversation with rapt interest).


Me: Sir, when the acorn hit you, were your eyes open?

Client? Ummm...I think so.

Me: Think about it, If something is falling at your face towards your eye, wouldn't you close your eyes as a natural instinct?

Client: Thoughtful silence.

At this point the call pretty much ended, with him, hopefully happy in the knowledge that he would indeed be rabies free.

I actually felt sort of sorry for him. You could tell he was really worried, and if I think about it real hard, I have to admit, I can sort of, kinda, see where his logic was coming from.

To date at least as far as I can remember, this has to be the most absurd question I have ever received. There are more absurd ones, asked to other employees, but that might be a topic for another post...

In the meantime watch out for these guys ,

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And whatever you do, don't look up into trees with your eyes open..

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

permanent patients at the gimcrack pay a bond to get in. if they take one of the really big suites the bond can be as much as $450,000.

a lady once rung me and asked if she had to pay the entire bond in COINS before she could come in.....

Michele said...

Coins?! That's hilarious. I can only imagine, how heavy that would have been to carry around. That's a good one.

Unknown said...

Thank you for the insightful squirrel information, I will always think of that while looking up at trees now.

Michele said...

Happy to help! It's a dangerous world out there..

Unknown said...

LMAO!
Oh Man, I worked retail for years..until recently...and I KNOW what you mean sometimes!
This was FUNNY!

Michele said...

I aim to please. :)

It was really hard for me to keep from laughing with this guy. You know how you have to stop and "collect" yourself so you don't bust up?

This happened probably 5 years ago, and the techs still tell the story to newbies.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for coming over to my blog to read and comment. You are very sweat to do so.

I read all your blogs this morning. I can relate to many of your experiences. I think your sense of humor is a great asset and look forward to reading more.

That is, unless I die of squirrel-given rabies. This I have secretly feared for many years. I walk around trees, never under them, for this very reason.

The Rev. said...

Fantastic story! And, thankfully, you've put one of my deepest fears to rest....many thanks!

-The Rev.

Tami Daun said...

This was hilarious. Thanks for the laugh. I guess our logic kicks out when we panic..hehe.

Chelle Blögger said...

So I guess I don't have to worry then if a raccoon throws a snowball at me? *snickers*

Very funny! :)