Where have I been?

Dealing with the craziest people EVER.

So, this past month at the railroad has been in-SANE. On the phone all day long, doing reservations, staying until super-late hours...just nuts. Now Jenny is working with me sometimes which is making things super a lot easier and WAY more fun!

Here are some crazy people we've had in this month...

Talking Bear Man: this guy walked in and touched and talked to everything. Yes, as if it was alive. Particularly to one of our large stuffed bears..."Well hello YOU! Aren't YOU adorable? How much are you? $75??? YOU'RE a bargain! I have a little grandchild of about 8 and he would just LOVE YOU!..."

Nasty Pants Old Lady: this old lady came in when I was on the phone, so I waved at her and smiled and made a motion for her to wait a second. She had one of those sneery faces you only get from despising everyone everywhere your whole life. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally in support of despising everyone everywhere, just not if it makes you ugly, because, EEW. She came in and Jenny tried to help her in her sweet Jenny way, and the woman said "I'm not going to talk to YOU" and waited for me to get off the phone. Our conversation went like this:

Me (in a chair): Hi, can I help you?

NPOL (five feet away): Well I'm not going to come to YOU.

Me (getting up and walking over to her): Can I help you with something?

NPOL: Are you the manager here?

Me: Yes, I am. How can I help you?

NPOL: WHY ISN'T THE TV ON?

Me: Uh...the TV?

NPOL: YES WHY ISN'T IT ON?

(We have a small TV on an extremely high shelf in the entryway to the office - they used to play looped commercials for the railroad on it but that's pretty friggin' annoying so we don't have it on anymore. Side note: she was not yelling, but was using that very agressive, I'm-so-disgusted-with-your-existence scowly old lady voice so caps is only appropriate)

Me: Well...we're not using it right now.

NPOL: ISN'T IT SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYING SOMETHING EDUCATIONAL?

Me: Well...no. We haven't been using that since I've been here...

NPOL: And how long is that?

Me: Since last season.

NPOL: WELL WHAT ABOUT THE WOOD?

Me: ...the...wood?

NPOL: THE WOOD ON THE WALL.

(We have planks of unfinished wood nailed to the wall. There's still bark on the edges - clearly somebody just thought it'd look good there and put it up amongst the foresty scenery in the entryway)

Me: Well, it's there for decoration.

NPOL (ultimate disgust): DECORATION?

Me: Well yes, we had a volunteer do the entryway for us and I'm sure he just thought it would look nice, so that's why it's up there.

NPOL: THERE ISN'T SOME KIND OF HISTORY BEHIND IT??

Me: No, I don't believe so.

NPOL: Well...WHERE DO I GET A TICKET TO ALBANY?

I directed her to the Amtrak office and that was that, but man...

And to top it off, in not quite crazy but a little bit crazy news, a very nice gentleman came in and gave me his card and said he and his group might like to ghost hunt our train! He was super nice and professional, and I'm kind of obsessed with "Ghost Hunters" so I loved it. There are your October crazy highlights! I'm sure you'll get more as Polar Express comes!