The Slapdown

Ok, so I will state my disclaimer right off the bat here. This happened at the beginning of the summer so every single detail may not come into my head. The following story is something that I can only relate based on the important details because that's all that I can remember. Here goes:

I have my own desk at work. I have worked very hard to have my own desk and I have served my time doing the miserable jobs where I have to share everything with about 8 other people that have no regard for my personal space. I am only OCD about maybe 5 things in this world and one of those is pens. It has gotten so out of control that I literally only want to write with one type of pen or I feel like my right hand is going to combust. If I have ONE more pen stolen from me in the next month I will find you. Oh, yes. I will. I digress. My point is this: most people get very touchy when they think that someone takes their stuff. This brings us up to speed with the story. Part of me can identify with the guests involved but the other rational part of me is dumbstruck. This is a typical reaction as I'm sure you're aware.

I am at my desk on a lovely morning in late spring/early summer and the guests are aplenty. There are usually several people waiting to talk to me at any given time because tourist season is almost in full swing. Apparrently, tensions run high among said guests. I currently have a couple asking me for advice on the town. They're really great people and I am taking my time with them. I try to at least make it appear that I'm giving fair treatment to everyone that comes to ask me for advice. I probably speak with them for about 10 minutes or so becuause they're being considerate to the 2 groups of people waiting behind them. They get up to leave. Here is what happens over the course of about 10 seconds:

1. The "gentleman" that has been waiting the longest comes up to my desk from the left side
2. Another "gentleman" that has only been waiting for about 5 minutes lunges forward from the right side
3. LSG (which is what I'm referring to "left side guy" as from now on) throws his arm out toward the opposing guy, slaps my desk (that reverberates to the point where it actually terrifies me that LSG might really do some damage both mentally and physically to RSG) to indimidate him, and bellows something that echos throughout the entire lobby: "I believe that I have been waiting here longer. I think you can wait for 5 more minutes."
4. LSG sits down rather calmly, takes a breath, and says rather loudly to me so that RSG can hear "You know that young punk doesn't have any respect."

I am stunned. I literally couldn't speak for about 30 seconds. I opened my mouth and shut it about 4 times. I still don't really understand why I felt more awkward and embarrassed than either of them. I would call it a fight but it was one-sided. I would say that technically LSG was right but did he need to cause a scene in the middle of the lobby? I didn't know I was so in demand.

LSG talks to me for the next 15 minutes while RSG sulks about 10 feet away from me. Finally when LSG feels that he has successfully extracted all of the information that he needs from me, he very politely stands up, shakes my hand, and walks away. Poor RSG finally walks very slowly up to my desk and quietly mumbles,"Can I have a map?" I inquire"That's all you wanted this whole time?" He doesn't answer, silently takes the map from me, and walks away.

Lessons Learned:

- don't cut anyone in line
- don't yell at a stranger
- don't cause a scene in a public place
And the most important of all:
- don't involve outside parties because....

I will blog about you later.