I have been inundated with wacky clients ever since I got back. I was so stressed and antsy before my vacation that it was hard to find anything funny to talk about. But now I'm less stressed, with the promise of another agent starting soon plus a relaxing four day Fourth of July weekend ahead (my bosses enthusiastically decided we all needed an extra break - yay, bosses!), and I'm laughing a lot more. Plus, being the agent at the front, the weird factor has been rolling in like a tide to break and froth and leave odd quivering lumps all over my desk.
There was the couple going to Vegas whose last name was Luckey.
There was the chap who needed a round trip to Munich and decided to drive to the airport and buy it directly from the airline because the price I quoted was $2 higher than what they quoted. Heck, the gasoline was going to cost him more than that. Presumably, it was the principle of the thing.
There was the woman who called insisting she wanted to make a payment on her bill, and was not in the least deterred by repeated declarations that we were a travel agency and not Best Buys. Then she said we were rude. I should have had her send the check.
There was the couple who kept fighting and making snide comments to each other in front of me while making plans for their honeymoon. I would have ask them to tone it down, but they spent almost $5000 on travel, and hey, I'm a travel agent, not a hall monitor.
But the best one was a fellow who wafted in the door, settled into the old, slightly awkward couch that we have up front, and announced how comfortable it was. He is the first person I have ever heard say this. He wanted a one way ticket to Greece departing in 7 days. "Or tomorrow is fine, you got tomorrow?" he said dreamily, nodding his head.
"Not cheap, I don't got tomorrow," I replied ungrammatically, smiling at him. He was rather sweetly goofy. I could tell he probably used the phrase, "Oh, wow, man!" sincerely.
We worked on it, and I found him a fare for half of what he'd come up with on his own. He was thrilled. He hoisted himself off the couch, and smiled hugely, and nodded like a bobble head doll. I bobbled a little myself, unable to resist. He got out his American Express.
"You're the best, Lucy, man," he said, smiling radiantly. I couldn't help laughing, it was said in such a Cheech and Chong voice. "No, really, you are."
"Hey, thanks," I said, and gave him his ticket.
He stood up. "This is unbelievable, man. You got it for me at half price. Lucy, you are a luminous being. You are the best." And he walked out the door, still nodding and smiling.
The office burst into laughter.
What can I say, man? They're just jealous that I am a luminous being.
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