A few years ago, I attended our local fun fair. It had been drummed into my head to keep a wary eye on the carnies at this fair, because "they're a bunch of crooks and will rip you off any chance they get". Well, I didn't believe that, and I still don't - naive or not, I tend to believe that most people are basically good. I did have an encounter with a shady character, however - the kind that gives all carnies a bad name. I needed some ride tickets, and I approached one of the ticket booths. The girl sitting in the booth was very young - somewhere in her late teens, I'm guessing - and smoking. I asked her for five dollars' worth of tickets and passed her a twenty dollar bill. Slowly, in between drags on her cigarette, she slid over the tickets. She then very slowly counted out five dollars' worth of change and stopped. I waited expectantly for the rest of my change. It wasn't forthcoming. I looked her in the eyes and said "I gave you a twenty." Wordlessly, she sucked on her cigarette and stared at me. I said "You still owe me ten dollars." Still no response (unless blowing smoke in my face counts). I said sweetly "I'm not budging until you give me the rest of my change. Now, hand it over." With exquisite slowness, she counted out one loonie (I live in Canada) ... then another ... then another ... finally, a full minute later, I had all my change. I'm certain that she hoped I'd get fed up with her snail-like progress and leave. Hah! I'm not my mother's daughter for nothing.
Merchants0102-06
Asharah's comment: Did she complain somewhere about the girls behavior? Not only cheating customers but blowing cigarette smoke in their faces?
