Dealing with Difficult People

I am making many pitches to literary agents concerning my book, The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others and it sure is not easy but I draw on much inner faith.

Meanwhile, I offer another blog and this one deals with the “How to Deal with Rudeness in Others” part, particularly when it comes from someone to whom you are giving your business. As an avid film buff, I still love to go to movie theatres although I wonder if too many of them will be around with us in society much longer. I must admit that sometimes when I can view a film at home through “streaming,” I am tempted to do so (I will also admit that I am not fully versed on how to “stream” everything on my television with is not a Smart TV. In returning to one of my favorite local movie theatres, I have encountered some downright rudeness amongst staff members and even the manager himself.  I must write that this really appalls me. Sure, times have been difficult in the last two years with this dreaded pandemic, but I do not see that a reason for people being rude to one another particularly from those where we are giving our business.

On three occasions, I have had staff members “bark” ugly comments at me, and I find that disturbing. Once, after the theatre was open for the second day after a year of being closed, the gentleman selling and taking tickets asked me to step back and maintain proper distance. I could not fully understand his words. Many folks need to learn how to enunciate while wearing a mask. I did not understand what he said the first time, so he yelled it a second and third time and all times his words were unclear. Twice, I walked in the theatre with my ticket pre-purchased and on my cellphone electronically.  Both times, I was “barked at” because it was not “bright enough” on my phone.  The second time I told the gentleman who was the manager, “Sir, I am 64 years old, and I am just proud of myself for being able to put it on my phone.”  Still, he was nasty, and I did not deserve that.

I wrote a letter to the manager of the theatre.  I told him in the letter that I had been going to that theatre since it opened 22 years ago and attended a film showing on the second day after the initial opening. I told him that I realize that times are tough with this pandemic, but I told him that as a long-time customer and as any customer coming into that theatre, I did not deserve to be treated with nastiness. Sadly, I have heard nothing back. I am going to a movie there today. We will see.