I just got home from work.
Today was the first time I had a break down in front of a guest.
I'm actually kind of surprised it took so long...
I obviously can't go into the whole situation, but basically it came down to a mom complaining about time she had lost with her kids because of an attraction being down two days in a row.
The conversation was kind of not really going the way I had hoped but I was trying so very hard to just help her, because I sincerely wanted to. And I explained that yesterday was just a bad day for all of us (because it was)--to which she responded "I don't care about you."
There was some more talking after that about that it was my job to deal with complaints, and she was the one who paid to come here, but that line specifically, "I don't care about you,"--That literally took my breathe away.
Not that I typically would have cared...people tend to say mean things all the time to me when they are angry about things that go wrong where I work, as if I am the one who personally shut down the ride, or sold them the wrong ticket, or whatever their particular problem is. That is part of my job--listening to people complain. She is right. But that does not really give anyone the right to be particularly rude or demean my presence. I am still a human being.
But what she said did hurt tonight, because I genuinely did care that she had a bad day with her little boys, and I really did just want to get a better idea of what to do to help her.
So I kept asking what I could do...and the conversation felt like it was going around in circles. I understood her frustrations, I just didn't understand what she wanted. As far as "losing time" at our parks goes, we usually compensate with making less of a wait for something else. And she felt like that wasn't enough....And then the things she felt would fix the problems, were things I had no access to give her...nor did anybody really.
There was all this talk about wasted time, and I just lost it as I told her that I could not give her yesterday back (or something to that affect).
THEN, I proceeded to help compensate for everything she had been through, even with the tears streaming down my face.
As we wrapped up with everything, she told me she was sorry, and she knew I had a hard job.
I then told her that the tears were not from her, but that I had lost my son and something in our conversation about losing time had just triggered the tears and I couldn't make them stop.
You could tell she felt awful. But that was NEVER my intention. Not ever.
She gave me a hug, and said "wow. perspective."
She apologized, and I did too for crying like a blubbering mess, and then we went our separate ways.
I had to take some time to compose myself and then I went back to work...but it shook me up for the rest of the night.
Perspective indeed.
Since losing Elijah, I hate wasting time more than anything...
BUT, I also know when it is time to just let something go and not worry about it as much.
I don't know.
It is late and I am tired.
But just...just think before you blurt out that you don't care about someone, or throw around money usage when asking for compassion.
I never think of money when I am helping people at work.
I think, "well crap, that sucks...how can I fix it."
And we all have bad days...we all say stupid things.
Life goes on...even when you don't want it to.
Just be nice dammit. And realize that there are much bigger things in the world to complain about than a bad day at a lovely amusement park that many people will never be able to afford to go to unless they work there or win some sort of lottery.
Blah.
Okay...well I have to go back to work in less than 8 hours now, so I should probably go to bed.
Oh sweet boy.
Losing you sure has changed my perspective on a lot of things.
Thank you so much for the sweet visit in my dreams last night.
I needed that more than you know.
I love and miss you always.
Every single second.
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