Peggy or Gene

Emma worked 13 hours at the theater on Friday.  One of her co-worker's dad passed away recently and another was exposed to coronavirus and is waiting out her quarantine so it was all (available) hands on deck in the box office and a busy day.

I've seen Emma in action at work.  She uses a voice much sweeter than we hear at home and she confidently and competently solves problems.  She loves the theater and works hard.  I think she's usually pretty good at diffusing problems because she knows options for patrons and is willing to do what she can to help.

When she got home that night, she told us about a phone call she got from a really angry lady.  She yelled at Emma because Emma wasn't able to answer definitively about future shows.  It was like Emma 1) had caused the coronavirus and 2) holds all the secrets to the future and 3) won't share those secrets.  Surprisingly, Emma deals with angry people a lot (it's community theater--how angry can it make people?!?) but this was next level.  Emma said, "I almost cried."

After screaming awhile, the lady hung up on Emma.

When Emma told her manager about it, she asked, "Was it Peggy?"

Emma checked the name and said yes.

Her manager said, "She's called several times and yells at us and then hangs up."

Emma got another call from a man named Gene.

Gene said, "OK, I hope this makes sense...."

He explained that because of the virus he and his wife wanted to donate their remaining season tickets back to the theater.  They also wanted to add money to that donation to equal $500.  Gene asked, "Is that OK?"

Emma said yes.  And thank you!

She said a little while later, Gene, a kind grandfatherly man, came in with his checkbook.  Clearly, he made Emma's day.

I guess the question we all are confronted with every day is, do you want to be a Peggy or a Gene?