Math Is Your Friend, Part 17
I am working at the box office for a Broadway theater. We get a lot of tourists coming in with no bookings hoping to grab any spare seats, but it’s extremely hit-and-miss. If we do have some available, it’s one or two and usually not the best seats.
Our current production is proving popular as it stars an A-list Hollywood actor in their Broadway debut. It’s about a romance between a beekeeper and a quantum physicist, and the dialogue can get a bit heavy on the science.
A couple of tourists come in and ask me the usual question:
Customer: “Can we get two tickets for the show tonight?”
They said, “Can we get…” and not, “Are there any available?” They are just assuming there are last-minute spare tickets to a famous Broadway production on a Saturday night.
Me: “I’m afraid we’re totally sold out for this evening. If you’re looking for two tickets, we have some available at tomorrow’s matinee, but they aren’t together, and they are the final two available. If you’d like two together, we don’t have anything available until next week Tuesday.”
Customer: “That’s ridiculous. You’re saying you’re sold out?!”
Me: “I’m afraid so. We are sold out for tonight.”
Customer: “Well, can we get some of the spare tickets?”
Me: “I’m sorry… Spare tickets?”
Customer: “You theaters always hold back some spares to be sold on the day or something!”
Me: “That is not the case here. Literally every seat is sold out for tonight’s performance.”
Customer: “I refuse to believe you don’t have any seats at all!”
Me: “We have zero seats available. None at all.”
Customer: “Look, just move some groups around or something, or designate one of the disabled seats as one for ‘normal people’ or whatever. Just get us two seats!”
I was being polite until now, but they just said that disabled people weren’t “normal” so the gloves have come off.
Me: “Sir, you should leave. I don’t think this play is suitable for you.”
Customer: “Why?”
Me: “Because this play delves deep into quantum physics and mathematics, and you can’t even figure out that zero does not equal two.”
Customer: “Get me your manager!”
Me: “Happy to.”
I pushed back from the box office desk and wheeled myself back to the phone using my wheelchair.
The tourists stared at me for a moment, tutted loudly, and just stormed off.
Related:
Math Is Your Friend, Part 16
Math Is Your Friend, Part 15
Math Is Your Friend, Part 14
Math Is Your Friend, Part 13
Math Is Your Friend, Part 12